February 7, 2025 – Today, British citizen Jimmy Lai, 77, passes his 1,500th day imprisoned in Hong Kong on politically motivated charges. Lai is being unjustly punished simply for standing up for the city he loves and the promise of democracy that was made to its people, both in the Basic Law and the Sino-British Declaration. 

As his farcical national security trial enters a 130th day, the proceedings make clear that the former Apple Daily publisher is on trial for “committing journalism” in pursuit of a brighter future for Hong Kong. The case against him appears predicated on social media messages exchanged with foreign officials, some of whom he barely knew.

With Lai in poor health due to diabetes and spending much of the last four years in solitary confinement, it is high time for the authorities to stop this needless and vindictive persecution. The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation calls again for his immediate and unconditional release, and the release of some 1,000 other political prisoners still languishing in Hong Kong’s jails.

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, is set to visit the UK next week, reportedly in a bid to resume the UK-China strategic dialogue for the first time since 2018. We urge British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to submit a request in writing for Jimmy Lai to be released upon meeting Wang, indicating that this is a precondition of the resumption of that dialogue. Likewise, we urge U.S. President Donald Trump to follow through on his campaign promise to free Jimmy Lai and to raise his case in any discussion with Xi Jinping.

“All Jimmy Lai has ever tried to do is get Beijing to live up to its promises – in effect to allow the election of Hong Kong’s city council and mayor. To call the court that is trying him, with three national security judges handpicked by Beijing from a secret list, a “kangaroo court” would be insulting to kangaroos. This is lawfare, an oppressive state weaponising the law to achieve political ends. If the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants Hong Kong to have any hope of reclaiming its position as a global financial centre, it should realise it has more to gain by letting Jimmy Lai out of prison than keeping him behind bars.” 

Ambassador James Cunningham, Chairman of the CFHK Foundation, said: 

“Today marks the 1,500th day in prison for Jimmy Lai. That is just over four years of retaliation by the Chinese government for acts of journalism, peaceful protest, and political activity. As a result, he is one of the most well-known political prisoners in the world. Many hundreds of others in Hong Kong are also suffering persecution for peaceful protest and political “crimes,” in blatant disregard of the rights and protections promised to them by the CCP. The release of Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners in Hong Kong, the restoration of rule of law, and an end to political repression are necessary conditions if Hong Kong is ever again to realise its potential.”