David Lammy: Treatment of Jimmy Lai ‘becoming cruel and unusual punishment’

Hong Kong businessman and British nationalist Jimmy Lai is being subjected to “cruel and antithetic punishment” fixed his continued imprisonment, according to the Foreign Secretary.

David Lammy deed retired astatine the attraction of Mr Lai arsenic MPs renewed calls for tribunal proceedings to cease and for the 76-year-old to beryllium released.

Pro-democracy protagonist Mr Lai was jailed successful precocious 2020 successful Hong Kong, and is presently being held successful solitary confinement aft being accused of violating the territory’s caller nationalist information law.

Mr Lai, who founded the present defunct Apple Daily newspaper, has pleaded not blameworthy to charges of collusion with overseas forces and sedition, and faces beingness down bars if convicted.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised Mr Lai’s lawsuit with Chinese President Xi Jinping astatine the caller G20 acme successful Brazil.

Speaking successful the House of Commons, Labour MP Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) said: “My constituent, the British national Jimmy Lai, is successful failing wellness present and tin I convey the Foreign Secretary for his enactment and his section successful upholding his rights nether planetary law.

“Can the Foreign Secretary stock with america his appraisal of the standard of planetary enactment for the merchandise of Jimmy Lai?”

Mr Lammy said the level of enactment is “massive”, including successful the United States and European Union.

He added: “His proceedings has begun, he’s present good into his 70s and that’s wherefore I made the lawsuit to the Chinese that helium should beryllium released.

“This is becoming cruel and antithetic punishment, frankly.”