Jimmy Lai, media founder and a prominent advocate for democracy and freedom of expression in Hong Kong, was today found guilty on one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. He is now at risk of being sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

Reactions to the Trial of Jimmy Lai

The case against Jimmy Lai was conducted without a jury, but before a panel of national security judges handpicked by Hong Kong’s chief executive at the behest of Beijing. Jimmy Lai was denied the right to be represented by his lawyer of choice, Tim Owen KC, after a favourable ruling by the Court of Final Appeal was frustrated by an “interpretation” of the National Security Law by the Chinese legislature and subsequent legislative amendments.

Amnesty International has declared Jimmy Lai to be a prisoner of conscience.

When the trial began two years ago, The Guardian wrote in a leading editorial that this was a sham trial and characterized the proceedings as political persecution. Many advocates of freedom of expression, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, share this assessment.

Inhumane Prison Conditions

Jimmy Lai has now spent five years in solitary confinement in a small cell, without natural light, without air conditioning, and with time outside the cell limited to 50 minutes per day. The UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has stated that such conditions of imprisonment may amount to torture.

Jimmy Lai is diabetic. His daughter has reported that he has lost a significant amount of weight; he suffers from vision and hearing problems; his skin is drying out; his fingernails turn purple before falling off; and his teeth are rotting. He has not received medical supervision from anyone outside the prison system.

In a statement from August 2024, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Jimmy Lai was subjected to arbitrary detention, citing numerous violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that remains binding on Hong Kong. The authorities in Hong Kong are urged to immediately release Jimmy Lai and to accord to him compensation and other reparations in accordance with international law.

Appeal from The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance

The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance has followed with dismay the dramatic dismantling of universal human rights in Hong Kong in general, particularly as demonstrated by the case against Jimmy Lai. We urge the European Union to publicly express support for Jimmy Lai, and to criticize the authorities in Hong Kong for grossly violating international human rights law.