Hong Kong/China: Release Jimmy Lai, end sham national security trial

August 28, 2025 Comments Off

Former media owner’s health deteriorating in custody

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—August 28, 2025) Closing statements in Hong Kong authorities’ politicized prosecution of pro-democracy activist and former media owner Jimmy Lai concluded today. The three judges hearing the case are expected to hand down a verdict before the end of the year.

The West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court opened its prosecution of Lai, 77, in December 2023. Authorities have charged him with two counts of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” under the National Security Law (NSL), and one count of “sedition” under a separate law for his interactions with foreign officials and individuals, and articles published in Apple Daily. He faces a possible life sentence if convicted under the NSL.

“Jimmy Lai has already spent years in prison despite committing no crime,” said Sophie Richardson, Co-Executive Director of the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders. “If Hong Kong courts have any remaining integrity, they will immediately drop these fabricated charges, free him, and remove all barriers to medical care. Any other outcome confirms that this judiciary is a just another tool for the Chinese government to use in persecuting human rights defenders.”

Background

Hong Kong authorities arrested Lai in August 2020, and he has been in custody since that December after authorities revoked his bail. Lai is well known for his founding of Apple Daily, and his support for human rights and democracy in Hong Kong, including his participation in the 2019-2020 pro-democracy protests. In 2021, he was convicted—in contravention of human rights guaranteed under international law—on several unlawful assembly charges stemming from his participation in peaceful protests that criticized the government, and sentenced to 17 months in prison. In 2022 he was given a 5 year and 9 month sentence on trumped-up fraud charges connected to his ownership of Apple Daily.

United Nations human rights experts have declared his detention arbitrary, called for his release, and urged that the NSL be repealed.

Lai suffers from heart problems and other health issues. The closing statements in the trial had to be postponed briefly in August 2025 after he suffered from heart palpitations and had to be fitted with a heart monitor and prescribed medication. According to Lai’s international legal team, he has spent over three years in solitary confinement with limited access to other individuals and sunlight, which may amount to torture, in violation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which the Chinese government ratified in 1988. He has also been denied access to independent medical care.

Several Chinese human rights defenders have died in custody after being denied medical care, including China’s Nobel Peace laureate, Liu Xiaobo, revered Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, and human rights defender Cao Shunli. CHRD has found no evidence that any individual has been held accountable for the deaths in custody of these defenders.

For more information, please contact:

Sophie Richardson, Co-Executive Director, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, sophierichardson@nchrd.org, +1 917 721 7473

Angeli Datt, Research and Advocacy Coordinator, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, angelidatt@nchrd.org, +1 934 444 6155

Shane Yi, Researcher, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, shaneyi@nchrd.org