UK government is urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China 

london — 

The U.K. authorities was urged Friday to rise the lawsuit of jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai with China, aft reports that David Lammy, the overseas minister, is heading to Beijing.

Lai, 76, is the laminitis of the now-shuttered fashionable Chinese-language tabloid Apple Daily, which supported wide pro-democracy protests successful the economical hub.

Detained successful 2020, helium is awaiting proceedings connected charges including colluding with overseas forces and sedition.

In London, his ineligible squad said they hoped Lammy would enactment Lai's lawsuit "front and center" during his visit, which has not been confirmed by his department.

Lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher told reporters it had been "made crystal wide to the U.K.” authorities that if it is looking to reset relations with China, it needed to usage the lawsuit "as leverage to guarantee that Jimmy Lai is released."

At a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) lawsuit successful London, Lai's lad Sebastien said his father, who holds British citizenship, was successful deteriorating wellness aft being successful prolonged solitary confinement for astir 4 years.

“His wellness could get overmuch worse astatine immoderate time,” helium added.

Lai's delayed proceedings began successful December 2023, and helium is owed to attest for the archetypal clip connected November 20.

“The [U.K.] authorities does request to basal down him - overmuch stronger than they adjacent person before,” said Sebastien Lai.

Give precedence to it

Both the ineligible squad and Sebastien person met U.K. overseas ministry officials, but Gallagher said they were disappointed that neither Lammy nor British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had yet met Lai's son.

"If this is simply a top-priority lawsuit for the U.K. government, wherefore is Sebastien not being met by the overseas caput directly?" asked Gallagher.

“Why is Sebastien not being met by the premier curate directly?”

Gallagher works for the instrumentality steadfast Doughty Street Chambers, wherever Starmer made his sanction arsenic a quality rights lawyer earlier entering politics.

The U.K. Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) successful effect said Lammy had raised Lai's lawsuit erstwhile helium met his Chinese counterpart successful July.

“British nationalist Jimmy Lai's lawsuit is simply a precedence for the U.K. government,” an FCDO spokesperson added. “We proceed to telephone connected the Hong Kong authorities to extremity their politically motivated prosecution and instantly merchandise Jimmy Lai."

Lai denies the charges, which were brought nether sweeping nationalist information laws meant to quell dissent successful the erstwhile British colony, which was returned to China successful 1997.

If convicted, helium could look beingness imprisonment. Six different elder Apple Daily unit members are besides successful prison.

Britain has been captious of China's crackdown connected property state and protests successful Hong Kong, which has strained diplomatic ties.

RSF caput of campaigns Rebecca Vincent said nary 1 from the enactment would beryllium capable to be Lai's trial.

A unit subordinate was detained and deported portion trying to participate Hong Kong to show the proceedings previously.