Civil society organisations urge UK PM to stand up for Jimmy Lai

Today, following former Apple Daily founder and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai’s conviction for three national security charges in Hong Kong, over 30 civil society organisations have published a joint letter to the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to urge him to push for the release of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen. The signatories include Hong Kong Watch, the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK), Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), Stand With Hong Kong (SWHK), Reporters without Borders (RSF), Index on Censorship, the World Uyghur Congress, and PEN International. 

Mr Lai, 78, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications and two counts of conspiracy to foreign collusion. He now faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 

The letter urges the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to press for the release of Mr Lai, noting that other countries including Canada, Ireland and Australia have all been successful in negotiating the release of their citizens from the People’s Republic of China following imprisonment. 

The Prime Minister is expected to fly to Beijing for meetings in late January next year, although dates for the visit have not been confirmed publicly. The letter urges the Prime Minister to make the release of Jimmy Lai a condition on any trade agreement negotiated as part of the visit. 

The full letter with all 33 signatories can be found here. 

黎智英「串謀勾結外國勢力」罪成  香港監察聯同逾30個民間組織促請施紀賢下年訪京時要求放人

因應今日前《蘋果日報》創辦人、民運人士黎智英被判三項國安控罪罪成，香港監察聯同超過30個民間組織向英國首相施紀賢（Keir Starmer）發出聯署信，促請他推動釋放英國公民黎智英。聯署組織包括香港自由委員會基金會（CFHK）、香港民主委員會（HKDC）、重光團隊（SWHK）、無國界記者（RSF）、查禁目錄（Index on Censorship）、世界維吾爾代表大會（World Uyghur Congress）和國際筆會（PEN International）。

現年78歲的黎智英被裁定一項「串謀發布煽動刊物」罪和兩項「串謀勾結外國勢力」罪罪名成立，最高可被判處終身監禁。

信中力勸施紀賢要求釋放黎智英，指出加拿大、愛爾蘭和澳洲等國家曾經成功與中國談判，促使本國公民從獄中獲釋。

施紀賢預計將於明年1月下旬到北京會談，惟訪問日期尚未公開確認。信中促請首相將釋放黎智英列為訪問期間談判的任何貿易協議條件。

附有33個組織簽署的聯署信全文可見此處。

Photo: Studio Incendo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons