Hong Kong's Legislative Council has strongly condemned the release of a so-called “press freedom index” and presentation of an "award" to Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in an attempt to sugarcoat the national security offender’s criminal acts and smear the press freedom and rule of law in the special administrative region.

In a statement issued on Friday night, the Legislative Council Secretariat firmly opposed the untrue comments which, it said, defame the human rights and rule of law in the HKSAR.

Lai, the founder of the now-defunct tabloid Apple Daily, was found guilty on Dec 15 last year of violating the Hong Kong SAR National Security Law (HKNSL), including on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. On Feb 9, he was awarded 20 years in prison for the offenses.

Referring to Lai’s conviction based on irrefutable evidence, a LegCo spokesman said in the statement, “During the trial, a vast amount of evidence testified that for years, under the guise of journalism, democracy, and freedom, Lai Chee-ying utilized media platforms as political tools to incite hatred and commit acts that harmed both the country and Hong Kong.”

The former media mogul’s acts included using media platforms to call for foreign forces to interfere in the SAR’s affairs and to impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials, and the reasons for the verdict – fully disclosed for public inspection – clearly explain the grounds for finding Lai and the three defendant companies guilty, the spokesman pointed out.

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The judgment also pointed out that Lai was not on trial for his political views or beliefs, said the spokesman, adding: “The court's conviction is well-reasoned and sound, fully demonstrating that the court makes rulings strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference.”

Residents of the city enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, and the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security, said the statement.

Referring to Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xia Baolong’s speech during this year's National Security Education Day on April 15, the LegCo spokesman said Hong Kong's transition from chaos to order, and from order to prosperity, profoundly demonstrates that there is no development without security, and that without security, everything is out of the question.

“LegCo will continue to firmly fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, support the SAR government's administration in accordance with the law, uphold the rule of law and ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of 'one country, two systems',” the spokesman said.

LegCo urged the international community to recognize the facts and immediately stop making “any groundless, fact-distorting, misleading and malicious attacks against Hong Kong.”