Zhang Jianhong, the former president of Hong Kong's Apple Daily, was released early, went to Shenzhen for exchanges, and told state media that he was "so regretful"
Hong Kong media reported that Zhang Jianhong, the former CEO of Next Media and the former president of Apple Daily, had been released early. He participated in a visit to Shenzhen organized by the Correctional Services Department and was interviewed by Chinese state media, saying he was "very regretful" for his crimes and now "very proud" of his Chinese identity.
He was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison for "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces" in violation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. He was originally scheduled to be released from prison in March 2028. When the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department responded to BBC Chinese's inquiry, it did not confirm whether Zhang Jianhong and others had been released; BBC Chinese called Zhang Jianhong's mobile phone, but no one answered.
In addition to Zhang Jianhong, it is reported that at least three other people imprisoned under the Hong Kong National Security Law have also been released early.
Analysts pointed out to BBC Chinese that those convicted in national security cases should be released early, or they may need to actively cooperate with the government and admit their mistakes in pro-state media. In addition to the publicity effect, official exchange groups also serve as a "deterrence effect" to show released prisoners that they will be monitored.
This incident has also drawn attention from the outside world to whether Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Media, will also have the opportunity to be paroled. Some scholars told BBC Chinese that if Jimmy Lai is willing to "repent," it will be a great "achievement" for the Hong Kong government, but the problem is that Jimmy Lai is unlikely to accept the Hong Kong government's conditions.
Visiting Shenzhen: "Looking forward to getting to know the motherland again"
The news of Zhang Jianhong's early release came to light from a report on November 1 by Chinese state media Phoenix TV.
According to the report, Zhang Jianhong participated in the Shenzhen experience group of the Correctional Services Department as a "rehabilitated person" and was arranged to visit historical sites of the Anti-Japanese War and technological enterprises. Wearing a red coat, he said during the interview, "As a Chinese, I am very proud to experience that the country is so powerful and science and technology has developed so well."
The next day, Phoenix Satellite TV published a more detailed interview clip and labeled Zhang Jianhong as the "former CEO of Next Media." He said in the interview that he "voluntarily signed up" to participate in the Correctional Services Department's activities, and that he was "very regretful" for the crimes he had committed in the past. "I hope to take this opportunity to re-understand the development of the motherland, integrate into society, and have a chance to rehabilitate."
Information shows that the major shareholder of Phoenix TV is the state-owned Zijing Culture Group, which is wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance of China.
Hong Kong media "Ming Pao" quoted Xia Zhongjian, the "paper-making king" who sponsored the group, as saying that the inspection group allowed people who had completed their sentences to understand the development of the mainland. He described Zhang Jianhong's entry and exit into the mainland as smooth as he was. On the contrary, he was nervous when leaving Hong Kong and was invited to "come into the room" to ask a few questions.
BBC Chinese called Zhang Jianhong, but no one answered her mobile phone number.
64-year-old Zhang Jianhong is known as "Sha Danhong" in the industry. He graduated from the Journalism Department of the Chinese University of China in 1983 and worked in Ming Pao, Economic Daily and other newspapers. He joined Next Media in 1991 and was promoted to the editor-in-chief of Next Weekly in 1994. In 2000, he came to Taiwan to assist in the development of Next Weekly. He has successively held senior positions such as editor-in-chief, deputy president, and president of Apple Daily, and was promoted to CEO of Next Media in 2018.
He was arrested on June 17, 2021, on charges of "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces" and "conspiracy to publish seditious publications." After a long remand and 156 days of interrogation, the Hong Kong High Court sentenced him to six years and nine months in prison on February 9 this year.
At least four national security prisoners reportedly released early
According to Hong Kong media reports, at least four people sentenced to prison under the National Security Law have been released early early. Three of them are defendants in Next Media's national security case, including Zhang Jianhong, "Hong Kong Story" member Li Yuxuan and paralegal Chen Zihua. All three have served as accessory witnesses and assisted the prosecution during the trial.
Another person who was released early was Tang Yingjie, the defendant in Hong Kong's first National Security Law case. On July 1, 2020, he drove a motorcycle with a "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" flag into a police line. The following year, he was found guilty of inciting others to secession and terrorist activities and was sentenced to 9 years in prison. He was originally expected to be released from prison in July 2029, but is now released two years early.
Hong Kong local media "Economic Daily" quoted news on November 3 that two other accomplice witnesses in the Next Media national security case also have the opportunity to be released early, namely former "Apple Daily" deputy president Chen Peimin and editorial writer Yang Qingqi. The two were originally expected to complete their sentences in July and October 2028 respectively.
BBC Chinese inquired from the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department whether Zhang Jianhong and other four people have been released, and whether Chen Peimin and Yang Qingqi have a chance to be released early. The department responded that it would not comment on individual cases. The exchange group that Zhang Jianhong participated in is one of the key projects of the "Walk with Justice" project, which aims to strengthen the national security awareness of rehabilitated persons and cultivate a law-abiding spirit and sense of responsibility through systematic and diversified activities.
In the Next Media national security case, former Apple editor-in-chief Luo Weiguang, former executive editor-in-chief Lin Wenzong, and former English version executive editor-in-chief Feng Weiguang, who did not serve as accessory witnesses, were sentenced to 10 years in prison. Without parole, he will not be released from prison until mid-2031 at the earliest.
Can a rehabilitated person be released only by being a model person?
Zhang Jianhong is not the only defendant in the national security case to admit his mistake in front of the camera.
The first known person convicted of a national security case to be released early is Zhao Jiaxian, an accessory witness in the "47-person case". He was sentenced to seven years in prison and was released on October 28, 2025, two years early.
Zhao Jiaxian, like Zhang Jianhong, accepted an exclusive TV interview after his release. In an exclusive interview broadcast by "Wireless News" in December 2025, he expressed his gratitude to the Commissioner of Correctional Services and others for their determination to repent.
"As soon as I was sentenced, I immediately turned on the Turbo and read a lot of books about national development. Through my family, I received national policy documents issued by the State Council, President Xi's speech on the Belt and Road Initiative, and important speeches."
Tang Yingjie, who was accused of being released early, was interviewed in front of the camera at least four times, including the program "Securing the Country with Law" co-produced by the Hong Kong police and TVB in December 2023, an interview with "Sing Tao Headlines" in April 2024, the National Security Microfilm "Borrowed Glory" launched by the Correctional Services Department in April 2025, and the program "National Security Archives Declassified" produced by the SAR government in June 2026.
In "National Security Files Declassified", the host Chen Qitai described Tang Yingjie as having changed his mind and even served as a flag-raiser, showing a major change in his thinking. Tang Yingjie, who was still in prison at the time of filming, appeared from behind and with his voice changed. He said that he had been misled by some people who "asked others to rush and relaxed themselves."
Hong Kong's "Prison Rules" stipulate that inmates serving a sentence can have their sentences reduced due to good behavior, which shall not exceed one-third of the actual sentence. However, after the legislation of Article 23 of the "Basic Law", the threshold for early release of national security prisoners has been tightened. The Director of Correctional Services must be satisfied that it will not be detrimental to national security before they can be released early.
Chen Yujie, an associate researcher at the Institute of Law of Academia Sinica in Taiwan, analyzed to BBC Chinese that the examples of Zhang Jianhong and Tang Yingjie's public repentance can be compared to China's "television confessions." The Chinese government uses "television confessions" to educate the public, saying that the government has "corrected" the defendants, and uses this to justify prosecution, trial, and punishment.
She pointed out that "television confessions" often appeared in China's political judicial cases in the past, and similar techniques were copied and pasted from China to Hong Kong. What the Hong Kong government wants to convey is that if they "repent", they will have the opportunity to be released early.
"In the eyes of the Hong Kong government, it seems important to allow some defendants or prisoners in national security cases to plead guilty and repent, because their confession can legitimate the Hong Kong government's national security measures, and can also convey to the central government that the Hong Kong government's governance is successful. It is so successful that it can even change the attitude of national security prisoners, showing that Hong Kong people are obedient."
You Sicong, a member of the inmate support platform "Migratory Bird", told BBC Chinese that existing examples show that in landmark national security cases, convicted persons must be released early, or they may need to "actively cooperate" with the government to show their ideological and spiritual surrender to the government, "publicly admit their mistakes to the official media, and even make propaganda videos, and they may become a model rehabilitated person."
You Sicong pointed out that under the current system, people who are released early in national security cases must comply with the supervision order of the Department of Corrections during their parole period. He observed that during the period, the Correctional Services Department would invite these released prisoners to participate in cultural exchange activities. "This has a publicity effect and is a continuous deterrent to the prisoners themselves. It makes you more aware that the government will still monitor you after you are released from prison."
Will Jimmy Lai be released early?
Several people convicted in the Next Media national security case were released early. The outside world is paying attention to the situation of Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Media, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious publications.
Without commutation of sentence, Jimmy Lai is not expected to be released until 2040 at the earliest, when he will be released from prison at the age of 92.
