A Hong Kong court has convicted British citizen Jimmy Lai of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under Beijing's national security law. The 78-year-old pro-democracy activist and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper faces life imprisonment following Monday's guilty verdict.
The UK government condemned the "politically motivated prosecution" and demanded Lai's immediate release. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "We will continue to appeal to the Chinese government ahead of Jimmy Lai's sentencing for his release and access to medical treatment. [...] Jimmy Lai's case has been a priority for this Government and the Prime Minister."
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Jimmy Lai has been targeted by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. Beijing's national security law was imposed on Hong Kong to silence China's critics."
Son demands action from UK
Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai's son, urged the British government to make his father's release a precondition for closer UK-China relations. Speaking at a press conference in London on Monday, he questioned how a fruitful relationship could exist "if they can't even put a 78-year-old man, who's in such ill health, on a plane and send him back home here in the UK where he belongs".
He described the 800-page judgment as containing "essentially nothing" incriminating. The National Security Law, Sebastien Lai said, "has been moulded and weaponised against someone who essentially said stuff that they didn't like".
The timing is critical. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Beijing in January to strengthen UK-China ties.
International condemnation
Rights groups and governments worldwide denounced the verdict. Sarah Brooks, China director for Amnesty International, said: "The conviction of Jimmy Lai feels like the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong, where the essential work of journalism has been rebranded as a crime. This verdict shows that Hong Kong's so-called national security laws are not in place to protect people, but to silence them."
Taiwan's government accused China of "exploiting the draconian national security legislation to stifle freedom of speech", stating the ruling "serves as a declaration to the world that Hong Kong's freedoms, democracy, and judicial independence have been systematically eroded".
A cross-party group of British MPs criticized the UK government's response. They contrasted Britain's failure to secure Lai's release with successful efforts by the United States, Canada and Australia to free their nationals from detention in China and Hong Kong.
Five years in detention
Authorities imprisoned Lai in December 2020. His daughter Claire has raised concerns about his rapidly deteriorating health. Authorities have held him in solitary confinement for more than 1,800 days. He suffers from diabetes. Family members report significant weight loss, discoloring and falling nails, rotting teeth, and heart palpitations.
Apple Daily, which Lai founded in 1995, shut down in June 2021 following police raids. The tabloid newspaper was known for its critical coverage of the Chinese government and played a significant role in supporting Hong Kong's 2019 pro-democracy protests.
Beijing defends verdict
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the conviction, claiming Lai's actions "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers". China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office called Lai a "running dog" who "colluded with foreign and external forces".
Beijing's foreign ministry urged "relevant countries" not to interfere in Hong Kong's judicial affairs or China's internal affairs.
Sentencing is expected early next year. The conviction carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
