Hong Kong: Call for the immediate release of human rights defender Jimmy Lai

Dear Prime Minister,

We, a coalition of 73 human rights and press freedom organisations, are writing to express our profound concern over the rapidly deteriorating health of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old British publisher, writer, and media entrepreneur, who has now endured over 1,680 days in solitary confinement in Hong Kong. During this time, his health has significantly deteriorated. He remains imprisoned while awaiting the outcome of a politically motivated trial that has been repeatedly delayed, further undermining his right to a fair and timely legal process.

On 15 August, the trial was postponed again after it was revealed that Mr. Lai had suffered heart palpitations and episodes where he felt as though he were “collapsing.” Despite this, the court rejected a defence request to excuse him from attending the closing arguments and instead proceeded with rescheduling the hearing, demonstrating a disturbing disregard for his fragile health and well-being.

As a British citizen, Mr. Lai has been enduring an unthinkable ordeal in prison, including solitary confinement with only 50 minutes of exercise per day and minimal access to natural light. At his age, and given his pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, the lack of specialised medical care puts him at severe risk of life-threatening complications. His international legal team has already raised alarms about his alarming weight loss and growing physical frailty.

Prime Minister, given Britain’s unique relationship with Hong Kong and its status as Jimmy Lai’s home nation, you have a responsibility to take strong leadership in this case, acting swiftly and decisively.

With each passing day, the risk that Mr. Lai could die in prison increases. We appreciate your statements in Parliament acknowledging the significance of this case to your government and your ongoing efforts to raise it at the highest levels. However, the time for statements has passed. We urge you to act now to secure Jimmy Lai’s immediate release before he dies in prison.

We therefore respectfully call on you to demand Mr. Lai’s urgent humanitarian release on medical grounds, so that he may reunite with his family in the United Kingdom and receive the care he needs.

We stand ready to support you in any way we can as you work to secure Jimmy Lai’s release.

Yours sincerely,

1. Access Now
2. Anti-Globalist International
3. ARTICLE 19
4. Asia Freedom Institute (AFI)
5. Aus-Hong Kong Connex 港人滙坊
6. Australia Hong Kong Link
7. Australian and New Zealand Alliance for Victims of the Chinese Communist Regime
8. Bay Area Friends of Tibet
9. Birmingham HongKongers
10. Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA)
11. China Change
12. Chinese Human Rights Defenders
13. Coalition For Women In Journalism
14. Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK)
15. Committee to Protect Journalists
16. English PEN
17. Étudiants pour un Tibet Libre, France
18. Forum 2000 Foundation, Czechia
19. Fortify Rights
20. Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.
21. GreatFire
22. Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete-Portugal
23. Hong Kong Aid 港援
24. Hong Kong Committee in Norway
25. Hong Kong Human Rights Front
26. Hong Kong Watch
27. Hong Konger in San Diego
28. Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V. 香港人在德國協會
29. Hongkongers in Britain 英國港僑協會
30. Human Rights Foundation
31. Human Rights in China
32. Humanitarian China
33. Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC)
34. Index on Censorship
35. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
36. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
37. International Tibet Network
38. Lamp of Liberty
39. Legal Initiatives for Vietnam (LIV)
40. Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine
41. Media Diversity Institute
42. New South Wales Hong Kong Friends 新州自己友
43. Northern California Hong Kong Club
44. NSW Hong Kong Friends
45. Ontario Hong Kong Youth Action
46. PEN America
47. PEN Canada
48. PEN International
49. PEN Melbourne
50. PEN Sweden
51. PEN Tibet
52. Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
53. Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
54. Safeguard Defenders
55. Scottish Hongkongers
56. Society for Threatened Peoples / Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker, Germany
57. Solidarité Chine
58. Students for a Free Tibet
59. Students For A Free Tibet, Japan
60. Taiwan Association for Human Rights 台灣人權促進會
61. The Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Religious Freedom (ADHRRF)
62. The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance 歐洲香港人聯盟
63. The Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM)
64. The Hong Kong Scots
65. US Hongkongers Club 美國香港人會館
66. Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP)
67. Vancouver Activists of Hong Kong (VAHK) 溫哥華手足
68. Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM)
69. Victoria Hongkongers Association (Australia) 澳洲維港
70. Viet Tan
71. Wahrheitskämpfer e.V. Fighters for Truth - Memorial for Press Freedom Germany
72. Women's Rights Without Frontiers
73. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders