Hello and welcome to the details of Britain calls for Jimmy Lai’s release as Hong Kong trial begins and now with the details
Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Media tycoon Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, looks on as he leaves the Court of Final Appeal by prison van, in Hong Kong February 1, 2021. — Reuters pic
LONDON, Dec 18 — Britain called for Hong Kong to release Jimmy Lai ahead of the trial of the leading China critic and media tycoon on charges he colluded with foreign forces, including the United States.
David Cameron, who became foreign minister in November, toughened Britain’s stance yesterday by explicitly calling for the release of British national Lai, who faces possible life imprisonment.
Lai’s long-awaited national security trial opens in Hong Kong today, with foreign envoys and others saying it is a key test for the city’s judicial independence and freedoms under the sweeping national security law imposed by China in 2020.
Advertisement
Lai, 76, the founder of now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and one of the most prominent Hong Kong critics of China’s Communist Party leadership, has pleaded not guilty to all charges he faces in the new trial.
His son Sebastien Lai, who has met with Cameron to discuss the case, previously criticised Britain for being “incredibly weak” in standing up for his father.
“As a prominent and outspoken journalist and publisher, Jimmy Lai has been targeted in a clear attempt to stop the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association,” Cameron said in a statement.
Advertisement
Sebastien Lai, son of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai speaks to Reuters ahead of his father's trial in Taipei December 15, 2023. — Reuters pic
“I call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their prosecution and release Jimmy Lai.”
Cameron said Hong Kong’s National Security Law was a “clear breach” of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which returned Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule more than 25 years ago under a deal guaranteeing a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a “one country, two systems” formula.
“(The national security law) has damaged Hong Kong, with rights and freedoms significantly eroded,” Cameron said.
“I urge the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it,” he added.
China has in the past responded to similar criticism by accusing Britain of acting with a colonial mindset. — Reuters
These were the details of the news Britain calls for Jimmy Lai’s release as Hong Kong trial begins for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.
It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Malay Mail and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.
