A Hong Kong court has declared a British citizen guilty of conspiracy and sedition charges under the Chinese national security law imposed on the territory. The UK government has criticized the prosecution of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, aged 78, calling it politically motivated. Lai, a pro-democracy activist and founder of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong, has long been a vocal critic of the Chinese government.
Arrested in 2020 under the national security law enacted by China following anti-government protests the previous year, Lai, who has been in solitary confinement for a significant period, pleaded not guilty to all accusations.
The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, denounced the verdict, stating that Jimmy Lai was unjustly prosecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression. Cooper emphasized that Beijing’s imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong was aimed at stifling dissent. She reiterated the UK’s call for the repeal of the national security law and an end to the prosecution of individuals charged under it, urging for Lai’s immediate release and proper medical attention.
Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, characterized Lai’s trial as a “political show trial” and condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s treatment of him. She urged Keir Starmer to intervene directly with President Xi Jinping to secure Lai’s release and reunite him with his family in the UK. Patel criticized the violation of freedoms guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration due to the imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong and called for stronger opposition from the British government against the suppression of freedoms and human rights in the region.