CHINA: Stand up for Jimmy Lai’s release/ Join his son’s campaign
HRWF (21.10.2025) – Almost five years after his arrest, Jimmy Lai, a 77-year-old pro-democracy campaigner in Hong Kong, is still in prison, despite his bad health. His son Sebastien fears for his life.
Lai is accused of alleged “conspiracy and collusion with foreign countries.”
Hong Kong authorities said the charges are related to the publication of articles in Apple Daily, calling to impose sanctions on China. They also cited Lai’s meetings with US politicians and interviews with overseas media and on social media.
In 1995, Lai founded Apple Daily, a newspaper advocating freedom of expression. His staunch critcism of the Chinese government and support for democratic movements led to his arrest on 10 August 2020 under the National Security Law. Nearly 200 police then raided the newspaper’s headquarters. It was the first time that the law had been invoked since its introduction on 30 June 2020 to search a media outlet’s premises. Lai was then arrested along with his two sons and several newspaper executives.
Lai was allowed bail on 12 August 2020, but on 3 December, he was accused of fraud and his bail was revoked. The court decided to prolong his detention, marking the first time Lai had been detained.
Lai suffers from diabetes, blood pressure and heart problems. His general health is dangerously deteriorating and he needs urgent adequate medical treatment.
A motion for an appeal was rejected in August 2024.
As of September 2025, Lai remains imprisoned in solitary confinement at Stanley Prison, one of the six maximum security facilities in Hong Kong.
On 28 November 2024, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution urging the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release all pro-democracy politicians, activists and journalists sentenced on national security charges, including Jimmy Lai and Chung Pui-Ken, and drop all charges against them.
MEPs also pressed the EU Council to review its 2020 conclusions on Hong Kong and impose sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations.
The resolution was adopted by 473 votes for, 23 against, and 98 abstentions.
Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) is concerned that Lai may die in prison and is grateful to all those who have stood up for him but more support is needed to get his release before it is too late.
HRWF appeals to the various human rights actors of the international community to join the campaign led by his son Sebastien on https://x.com/SupportJimmyLai.
