Hong Kong Watch condemns guilty verdict in the trial of Jimmy Lai
Today, Hong Kong Watch’s Patrons joined in condemning the issuance of a verdict of guilt in the trial of Jimmy Lai, who has been imprisoned in Hong Kong for over 1,800 days.
Mr Lai, a 78-year-old British citizen and founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was first arrested under Hong Kong’s 2020 National Security Law on 10 August 2020. He has served as one of the most high-profile victims of the crackdown on Hong Kong’s rule of law and the increasingly flagrant manipulation of the judiciary under the National Security Law.
Since 2020, he has been handed two separate sentences of 14 months in prison for taking part in an unauthorised assembly, a 13 month sentence for taking part in a banned vigil for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, and 5 years and 9 months on a fraud charge linked to the lease of Next Digital, Mr Lai’s media company.
Since 31 December 2020 he has been kept in solitary confinement, permitted less than an hour a day for physical exercise in a confined space. A diabetic, he has been denied access to independent medical care. His children have reported that he has lost over 10 kilos of weight in prison and his health is failing.
Despite his ill health, Mr Lai has been subject to a gruelling two-year trial on charges dating to his first arrest in August 2020. Mr Lai pleaded not guilty to two national security law charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. Found guilty, he now faces life imprisonment.
The trial attempted to prove that Mr Lai’s connections to foreign activists and political figures in the UK and US – in the form of innocuous text messages – were evidence of ‘conspiracy to collude with foreign forces’. These figures included co-founder of Hong Kong Watch Benedict Rogers.
Mr Lai has also been denied the right to his first choice of legal counsel, with UK barrister Tim Owen KC barred from representing him following intervention by the Hong Kong government. His international legal team, lead by Doughty Street Chambers barrister Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, has received numerous rape and death threats, including against their family members.
Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Chair of Trustees of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘This dark day has been a long time in coming. The physical, mental and spiritual abuse suffered by Jimmy Lai has only been matched by the abuse of the legal and judicial systems of Hong Kong to contrive this ridiculous verdict. This has been a show trial designed to cow Hong Kong’s media and pro-democracy movement into submission. There was no chance that a different verdict could have been reached, despite the flimsiness of the evidence and the shortcomings of the legal arguments.
We must now look to bring this years-long abuse of a British citizen to an end through diplomatic means and serious political pressure. Other countries have been able to secure the release of their citizens from China. Australia freed Cheng Lai; Canada freed Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig; Ireland freed Richard O’Halloran. The United Kingdom must now follow their example, and Sir Keir Starmer – who flies to Beijing next month – simply must do his utmost to free Mr Lai.’
The Lord Patten of Barnes, Conservative Member of the House of Lords, the last Governor of Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘I saw Jimmy Lai’s son Sebastian again recently and had a message from Jimmy’s wife. I assured them that all who believe in human rights and decency would continue to campaign for his release. Jimmy is one of the best examples of the dissidents who suffer from tyrannical regimes. Anyone who thinks that the Chinese Communist Party can be trusted or that it is capable of reforming itself should remember Jimmy Lai’s case.’
Full statement from Lord Patten here.
The Lord Alton of Liverpool, Crossbench Member of the House of Lords, Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘As we condemn this verdict, a foregone conclusion from the very start, we must remember that this sham trial is only one of many in Hong Kong under the National Security Law. Many thousands of individuals languish in Hong Kong prisons on national security charges that range from the draconian to the simply ludicrous. The demise of Hong Kong’s independent judiciary is a tragedy that will forever mar the reputation of this once-free city.’
Senator Leo Housakos, Conservative Senator for Wellington, Quebec and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘Jimmy Lai is locked away in solitary confinement simply for defending freedom and speaking the truth. This verdict is yet another reminder that Hong Kong’s rule of law has been dismantled and replaced with Beijing’s iron-fisted political agenda. Canada must not mince words. We must stand firmly with Jimmy Lai and call unequivocally for his immediate release.’
Sir Malcolm Rifkind KC, former Foreign Secretary, former Member of Parliament and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘Since 2021 the Chinese government has violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which guarantees legal protections to the people of Hong Kong, with seeming impunity. Surely with this verdict, against a British citizen, on trumped-up charges, this diplomatic affront can no longer be ignored and stringent countermeasures must be considered by HM Government.’
Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, barrister and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘The trial of Mr Lai has rested on shoddy reasoning. It has fallen quite short of its evident goal to present a conspiracy between Mr Lai and foreign actors. Unfortunately, in its distortions of the evidence, its open partisanship, and its derelictions of constitutional protections, including the right to a lawyer of one’s choice, this trial has shown all the hallmarks of the kind of show trial common in authoritarian regimes across the world. It is a black mark on Hong Kong’s common law system and any claim to maintain the rule of law.’
Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘The verdict of Jimmy Lai’s trial is both deeply worrying and fundamentally wrong. Mr Lai is a British national, prosecuted under laws designed to silence dissent rather than uphold justice. The continued erosion of the rule of law in Hong Kong should concern us all. The UK Government has a clear responsibility to act robustly and swiftly to secure Mr Lai’s release, and to challenge this ongoing miscarriage of justice.’
Tom Tugendhat, Conservative MP for Tonbridge, former Security Minister and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘The Hong Kong government has fixed a verdict that their commanders in the CCP demanded. This is not justice. It does not even mimic justice. Instead, this is state repression masked by a court leaving Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, to be tortured for years and punished for the crime of journalistic freedom.’
James Naish, Labour MP for Rushcliffe and Member of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘Today’s verdict will be extremely disappointing and distressing for the Hong Konger community here in the UK, many of whom have family members still living in Hong Kong. The trial of Mr Lai speaks of the ongoing critical necessity of ensuring that a humanitarian route for Hong Kongers to repatriate to the UK remains available, and for urgent consideration to be given to expanding the BN(O) visa route to Hong Kongers born on or after 1st July 1997, whose parents did not register for British National (Overseas) status. I urge the British government to do everything it can to support Mr Lai, who is a British citizen, and to protect and scale up its support for Hong Kongers in the UK, particularly in the face of increased transnational repression emanating from Beijing and its administration in Hong Kong.’
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc Québécois MP for Lac-Saint-Jean and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, commented:
‘The guilty verdict against Jimmy Lai is a serious attack on democracy and freedom of expression. It’s a grave injustice and a stark illustration of how far Hong Kong has fallen from its promises of freedom and autonomy. Mr. Lai is being punished by Beijing for his unwavering commitment to democratic values and the truth. The Bloc Québécois calls for the immediate release of Mr. Jimmy Lai. And we expect the same firm stance from Mark Carney and his government.’
黎智英「串謀勾結外國勢力」罪成 香港監察譴責裁決早有定案 促請施紀賢向中國交涉救人
今日，多位香港監察贊助人聯聲譴責香港法庭裁定黎智英國安及煽動控罪罪名成立。黎智英至今已在香港還押超過1,800日。
現年78歲的黎智英是英國公民，亦是民主派報章《蘋果日報》的創辦人。他在2020年8月10日首次因同年香港實施的《國家安全法》被捕。黎智英是在《國安法》對香港法治的打壓及對司法機構日趨明目張膽的操縱下最備受關注的受害者之一。
黎智英自2020年12月31日起一直被單獨囚禁，每天只被允許在狹窄的地方進行不到一小時的體能活動。他是糖尿病患者，卻被剝奪獲得獨立醫療服務的權利。他的子女指出黎智英在獄中體重下跌了10多公斤，健康狀況每況愈下。
儘管身體狀況欠佳，黎智英仍因自2020年8月首次被捕以來的控罪而面對長達兩年的艱苦審訊。黎智英對兩項《國安法》「串謀勾結外國勢力」罪，以及一項「串謀發布煽動刊物」罪均不認罪。今天的有罪裁決代表黎智英有機會面臨終身監禁。
案件審訊引用黎智英與英、美社運人士和政治人物的聯繫——這些聯繫甚至僅為短訊形式——試圖證明黎智英「串謀勾結外國勢力」。這些人士包括香港監察共同創辦人羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）。
黎智英同時被剝奪選擇代表律師的權利，英國御用大律師Tim Owen KC因香港政府的干預而被阻止來港代表黎智英抗辯。由Doughty Street Chambers大律師Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC領導的黎智英國際律師團隊亦收到大量強姦和死亡威脅，甚至包括針對律師團隊家人的威脅。
香港監察共同創辦人兼信託董事會主席羅傑斯表示：
「這醞釀已久的黑暗一天終於來臨。港府對黎智英身心和精神上的折磨，絕對匹敵其以濫用香港法律和司法制度策劃出的荒謬判決。這是一場旨在威嚇香港傳媒和民主運動屈服的做騷公審（show trial）。儘管證據薄弱，法律理據錯漏百出，但顯然法庭達成的裁決早有定案。
我們現在必須尋求透過外交手段和強烈政治壓力，結束這場對英國公民長達數年的虐待。多個其他國家曾經成功從中國營救本國公民，包括澳洲公民成蕾、加拿大公民Michael Spavor和Michael Kovrig、愛爾蘭公民Richard O’Halloran。英國現在必須效法，而下月訪問北京的首相施紀賢（Keir Starmer）務必竭盡所能營救黎智英。」
英國保守黨上議員、最後一任香港總督、香港監察贊助人彭定康勳爵（Lord Patten of Barnes）表示：
「我最近再與黎智英的兒子黎崇恩見面，並收到他太太的信息。我向他們保證，所有相信人權和正義的人都會繼續爭取釋放他。黎智英是其中一個典型受暴政打壓的異見者。任何認為中國共產黨可以信任或有能力自我改革的人都應緊記黎智英案。」
彭定康勳爵聲明全文請見此處。
英國中立上議員、人權聯合委員會主席、香港監察贊助人奧爾頓勳爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool）表示：
「我們譴責這結果早已注定的裁決時，我們要緊記，這只是香港眾多《國安法》虛假審訊之一。數以千計的人因國安控罪而受牢獄之苦，這些控罪從嚴苛到荒謬不一而足。香港獨立司法制度消亡是一場悲劇，將永遠損害這曾經自由城市的聲譽。」
加拿大保守黨參議員、香港監察贊助人Senator Leo Housakos表示：
「黎智英只因捍衛自由及報導真相就鋃鐺入獄，更被單獨囚禁。這項裁決再次提醒我們，香港法治已被摧毁，取而代之的是北京鐵腕管治。加拿大必須清晰表態，我們務必堅定站在黎智英一方，嚴正呼籲立即放人。」
英國御用大律師、前外交大臣兼下議員、香港監察贊助人聶偉敬爵士（Sir Malcolm Rifkind）表示：
「中國政府自2021年起違反保障香港人法律權利的《中英聯合聲明》，卻似乎逍遙法外。這項裁決針對英國公民且基於捏造的罪名，這種外交侮辱絕不能再被忽視，英國政府必須考慮採取嚴格的反制措施。」
英國御用大律師、香港監察贊助人尼斯爵士（Sir Geoffrey Nice）表示：
「黎智英的審訊建基在漏洞百出的推論之上。審訊遠遠未能證明黎智英串謀勾結外國勢力。不幸的是，這場審訊曲解證據、公然偏袒一方、無視憲法保障，包括選擇律師的權利，無不暴露出世界各地威權政體常見做騷公審的所有特徵。這是香港普通法體系的污點，也是對任何維護法治主張的否定。」
英國自由民主黨下議員、香港監察贊助人甘文康（Alistair Carmichael）表示：
「黎智英審訊的裁決令人深感擔憂，而且從根本上就是錯誤的。黎智英是英國公民，因干犯旨在壓制異見而非捍衛公義的法例而被起訴。我們所有人都應關注香港法治持續受損的局面。英國政府肩負明確責任，理應迅速採取強硬行動確保黎智英獲釋，並對這種持續的司法不公提出質疑。」
英國保守黨下議員、前保安大臣、香港監察贊助人董勤達（Tom Tugendhat）表示：
「香港政府依照中共長官的要求，定奪裁決結果。這不是公義，連包裝成公義的模樣都沒有。相反，這是以法庭掩飾的國家級打壓，任憑英國公民黎智英因行使新聞自由罪名而受到多年折磨及懲罰。」
英國工黨下議員、香港監察贊助人James Naish表示：
「今日的裁決對在英港人社群來說極其令人失望痛心，當中有不少人的家人仍在香港。黎智英的審訊表明，有必要繼續確保香港人仍可循人道主義途徑返英，亦有必要迫切考慮拓展BNO簽證計劃至1997年7月1日時未年滿18歲而父母未有為其申請BNO身分的香港人。我促請英國政府竭盡所能援助英國公民黎智英，並保護及加強對在英港人的支援，尤其是在北京及香港政府跨國鎮壓升級的情況下。」
加拿大魁人政團眾議員、香港監察贊助人Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe表示：
「黎智英被裁定罪名成立是對民主和言論自由的嚴重打擊。這是嚴重不公，也殘酷展示出香港已遠遠背離自由和自治承諾。黎智英因堅守民主價值和真相而受到北京懲罰。魁人政團呼籲立即釋放黎智英，並期望總理卡尼及其政府採取同樣強硬的立場。」
Photo: Studio Incendo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons