Mr. Lai is the founding father of the campaigning pro-democracy Apple Every day newspaper, which was shut down in 2021 within the wake of the June 2020 Nationwide Safety Regulation clampdown within the area.
He has spent a lot of the previous three years in solitary confinement after campaigning for many years for freedom of speech and democratic house within the Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area (SAR).
Arrested in August 2020, he was charged with sedition and overseas collusion underneath the brand new laws. Costs associated to tweets, interviews and articles he printed in Apple Every day outlining the influence of the Nationwide Safety Regulation on Hong Kong’s basic rights and freedoms, the consultants stated.
Mr. Lai’s trial on allegedly breaching nationwide safety measures bought underway after prolonged delays in December. He faces life in jail if discovered responsible.
“Jimmy Lai’s arrest, detention and sequence of felony proceedings over the previous few years look like instantly associated to his criticism of the Chinese language Authorities and his help for democracy in Hong Kong SAR,” the consultants stated.
‘Denial of entry’
“We’re alarmed by the a number of and severe violations of Jimmy Lai’s freedom of expression, peaceable meeting and affiliation and his proper to a good trial, together with the denial of entry to a lawyer of his personal selecting and the handpicking of judges by the authorities,” the 4 Human Rights Council-appointed Particular Rapporteurs added.
Mr. Lai was convicted of unauthorized meeting in 2021 for participating in earlier protests and sentenced to 17 months in jail. He obtained an extra 5 years and 9 months for fraud in October 2022.
The UN rights consultants beforehand raised considerations with authorities in 2020 and 2023. Of their assertion, the rapporteurs stated they admire and have thought-about the in depth authorities responses of 10 July 2020 and 1 Might 2023 and stand able to proceed their dialogue with the authorities.
“We expressed our considerations in regards to the Nationwide Safety Regulation earlier than it was enacted and can proceed to take action, as we imagine it isn’t according to worldwide authorized obligations,” the consultants stated, echoing the Human Rights Committee’s call on the Hong Kong SAR to repeal the regulation.
Mr. Lai is the second defendant to be tried underneath the controversial Nationwide Safety Regulation following final yr’s trial of 47 pro-democracy activists, who’re awaiting a verdict reportedly due subsequent month.
Regulation ‘misused’
“We reiterate that nationwide safety laws with felony sanctions ought to by no means be misused towards these exercising their rights to freedom of expression and affiliation and of peaceable meeting nor to deprive such individuals of their private liberty by arrest and detention,” the consultants stated.
Particular Rapporteurs are a part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. They don’t obtain a wage for his or her work and serve of their particular person capability.
