HRF joins the U.S. and U.K. governments in calling for the release of Hong Kong prisoner of conscience Jimmy Lai. The international community must not turn a blind eye to this blatant perversion of Hong Kong’s judicial system and further enable China’s erosion of the courts.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he has urged China’s President Xi Jinping to “consider his release,” and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned Lai’s guilty verdict as a “politically motivated persecution.” (FCDOGovUK)
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has raised the matter with China’s Xi as an accomplishment. Lee accused foreign media outlets of misleading the public about Lai’s conviction, alleging that international media sought to “brainwash young people” and “obscure Lai’s shameless acts and subversive action.” (Reuters)
On Monday, Jimmy Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, warned that the U.K. cannot pursue closer relations with China while one of its citizens is jailed for standing up for freedom and democracy. Hear directly from Sebastien on his father’s quest for freedom here:
