APPG on Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs condemns the conviction of British citizen arbitrarily detained in Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai

We utterly condemn the politically motivated and sham conviction of British citizen, Jimmy Lai, today by the High Court in Hong Kong for foreign collusion under the National Security Law. His conviction was a foregone conclusion, based on politically motivated charges which lack any legal basis, in retaliation for his lifelong work defending democracy and the Rule of Law in Hong Kong as the founder of Apple News Daily. His conviction of life imprisonment is a death sentence. Jimmy Lai remains critically ill and has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,800 days throughout his sham trial. 

The conviction represents a failing by the UK Government which has not unequivocally demanded his release. While other countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia have secured the release of their nationals from arbitrary detention in China and Hong Kong, the UK has failed to do so despite the unique relationship between the UK and Hong Kong enshrined in international obligations in the Basic Law. If the UK had taken faster, firmer and more fervent action to secure his release Jimmy Lai could be spending Christmas with his family where he belongs, rather than arbitrarily detained in Hong Kong.

Jimmy Lai’s case remains of central importance to the APPG, and to parliamentarians in the UK, from both houses, and from all parties. The UK has allowed the death of democracy in Hong Kong and is set to continue to sit by idly while a British citizen dies in Hong Kong prison, paying the ultimate price for his defence of democratic values, and on the basis of his ‘collusion’ with British parliamentarians, lawyers and NGOs. His conviction is intended to scare into silence the people of Hong Kong. However, this repression has also crossed borders to the UK, with constant harassment and threats of violence faced by his British based international legal team, Hong Kongers in exile in the UK, and those standing up for democracy in Hong Kong. 

His conviction confirms what we already knew: there is no Rule of Law in Hong Kong. The UK Government cannot accept this farce of a conviction. 

In the face of Jimmy’s trial, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention and transnational repression reaching the UK over the last five years, the UK’s response has been wholly disproportionate and inadequate. Jimmy Lai must not be allowed to die in a Hong Kong Prison.

The Chinese Communist Party may seek to silence Jimmy Lai. We will redouble our voices in opposition to their attempts to strangle the brave voices of the people of Hong Kong.