Hong Kong â August, 2025
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has renewed its call for the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, as closing arguments in his national security trial are set to begin.
Lai, who has spent nearly five years in solitary confinement at a maximum-security facility, faces charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment.
Health and Human Rights Concerns
Laiâs deteriorating health has become a focal point of international concern. His legal team recently requested that he be excused from attending closing arguments due to heart palpitations and fatigue, which were exacerbated by his prolonged detention. Medical staff have arranged for a wearable heart monitor and medication, though no abnormalities were detected.
CPJ Regional Director Beh Lih Yi issued a stark warning:
âThe world is watching how Hong Kong treats its journalists. The prolonged detention of Jimmy Lai not only destroys Hong Kongâs historic reputation as a free and open society, but also as a trusted hub for business. The risk of him dying in prison increases as each day passesâ.
Trial Background and International Response
Laiâs trial, which began in December 2023, has spanned over 150 days and included testimony on his editorial leadership, political views, and alleged foreign connections. Prosecutors have cited 161 op-eds and a diagram of Laiâs purported ties to political figures in the U.S., U.K., and Taiwan as evidence of foreign collusion.
Lai has consistently denied advocating for sanctions or separatism, describing himself as a âpolitical prisonerâ during testimonyâa characterization that drew rebuke from the three-judge panel.
The Hong Kong government has rejected international criticism, stating it âstrongly disapproves and rejects the slanderous remarks made by external forcesâ regarding the case.
Global Advocacy and Legal Findings
Laiâs detention has been condemned by numerous rights organizations. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously found his imprisonment to be unlawful and arbitrary. Human Rights Watch also called the charges âbaselessâ and described his solitary confinement as âoutrageously cruelâ.
Lai, a British citizen, has received widespread support from press freedom advocates. In 2021, he was awarded CPJâs Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. His son, Sebastien Lai, continues to campaign for his release, urging the British government to intervene.
