Jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying will not appeal his conviction and 20-year prison sentence for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, his Hong Kong legal team has confirmed.

Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and media company Next Digital, was earlier found guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s national security law.

His legal team confirmed on Friday that Lai will not challenge either the conviction or the sentence through an appeal.

Following the conviction earlier, Lai’s children publicly questioned the usefulness of pursuing an appeal, saying efforts should instead focus on seeking a political resolution that could secure his release.

The case has drawn international attention, with former U.S. president Donald Trump expected to visit China later this month. Trump had previously said that during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea late last year, he raised the possibility of considering Lai’s release.

The Hong Kong government earlier strongly condemned criticism from several countries and organizations regarding the court’s verdict and sentence.

Authorities said the trial had been conducted fairly and urged external parties to stop what it described as unfounded and malicious attacks.

“Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law,” the government said.

Lai, 78, has been one of the most high-profile figures prosecuted under the national security law since it was introduced in Hong Kong in 2020.