Top News
This week, Jimmy Lai marked his 76th birthday behind bars in Hong Kong. On December 18th, he is set to undergo a National Security trial and could be facing a possible life sentence. Stay tuned for updates on this developing issue.
Sebastien Lai, the son of British Citizen Jimmy Lai, told The Globe and Mail, “It is very scary thinking I may never see him again and that he might die in prison.” Sebastian, who was in Ottawa this week, met with Canadian government officials, urging them to publicly call for his father’s release.
The British Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, hosted by Chairman Alicia Kearns MP, heard evidence from Ambassador Roger Carstens, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Bill Browder, head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign about the need for each country, including the UK, to have a specially designated person to deal with citizens held abroad as hostages. Both speakers citied the case of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, who is not getting the government support that he should.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong activist Agnes Chow Ting has announced her exile to Canada. Chow claims that she was taken to China to visit “China's reform and opening up exhibition”, Tencent headquarters, and was coerced into writing a letter of apology for her previous advocacy, all in exchange for the return of her passport. In an interview with a Japanese television station, she disclosed her diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Hong Konger Tsang Chi-kin, who was shot by Hong Kong Police during the 2019 protest, has been compelled to apologize on public television and express regret for his participation in the protests. “Televised Confessions” is a practice favoured by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to shame and humiliate victims.
Hong Kong's anti-corruption watchdog issued a warrant for an overseas YouTuber and charged an individual for allegedly inciting others 'not to vote' in the 'patriots-only' District Council election on social media.
Members of Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats (LSD), a pro-democracy political party, were stopped and searched for over two hours by 20 uniformed police during a hike in Stanley.
UK-China Relations
The British Army is reportedly spending £200 million on solar panels from suppliers alleged to have a "very high" exposure to forced labour in Xinjiang, according to a report from the University of Sheffield Hallam. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns urged the UK government to "sanction and [impose] a ban on any solar company with links to Uyghur forced labour from operating in the UK.”
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