Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year under Beijing's "national security law."

The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was convicted of foreign collusion and sedition.

He was one of the first high-profile figures to be targeted under the controversial security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing following a crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Beijing had said the law would restore Hong Kong "from chaos to order" after demonstrations in 2019 opposing an extradition bill morphed into massive protests against Beijing encroaching on Hong Kong's civil liberties.

Since then, the pro-democracy media mogul has spent more than five years in solitary confinement.

In recognition of his defense of press freedom and freedom of speech, DW honored Jimmy Lai with this year's Freedom of Speech Award at the annual Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany, on Tuesday. His daughter Claire Lai received the award on his behalf.