Imprisoned activist Jimmy Lai, labeled as a 'conscience prisoner,' has spent over 1,600 days in confinement.
Jimmy Lai, a 77-year-old media tycoon and founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, is currently facing charges under Hong Kong's national security law. The trial, which started in December 2023, has now surpassed 150 days due to multiple delays[1][3].
Lai's charges could potentially see him handed a life sentence if found guilty[1][3]. He was arrested in August 2020 and charged with various offences, including collusion with foreign forces and conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications[2].
During his imprisonment, Lai has been in solitary confinement for most of the time, resulting in a significant weight loss[1]. His legal team has claimed that he has been denied independent medical care for diabetes, is only allowed out of his cell for 50 minutes a day, and has been denied the Eucharist as a devout Catholic[1]. His son, Sebastien Lai, has consistently raised concerns for his father's declining health[2].
Jimmy Lai became a key figure in the 2019 protests in Hong Kong due to his pro-democratic beliefs[2]. His newspaper, Apple Daily, backed the protesters, criticizing the government reforms[2]. The prosecutors allege that Lai conspired with senior executives at Apple Daily to publish 161 seditious articles[2].
The charges were made under national security laws put in place in 2020[2]. Subsequent British governments, including the current Labour one, have said Lai's imprisonment is a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration[2]. Sir Keir Starmer, the current Labour leader, has stated that securing Lai's release is a "priority" for his government[2].
As a British citizen, the UK government expressed concern when Lai was first charged under the national security law in 2020[2]. Chancellor Rachel Reeves raised the question over Lai's imprisonment with every minister she met during a January trip to China[3]. In March, Sebastien delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street asking for a meeting with Sir Keir to secure his father's immediate release[3].
Lai was born in mainland China and fled to Hong Kong at the age of 12[2]. He started the Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily in 1997 to maintain freedom of speech[2]. He built a fortune with the fashion empire Giordano and became a democracy advocate after the Tiananmen Square massacre[2].
Closing arguments in the trial are currently underway, with the next hearing due to last around eight days[3]. The trial has attracted international attention, with various organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, calling for Lai's immediate release and an end to the prosecution[1]. Sebastien Lai has described the trial as a "show trial" and suggested that the evidence against his father is "completely untrue," implying that the legal process is unfair[2].
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