UK PM Rishi Sunak condemns Jimmy Lai’s trial as ‘politically motivated’ in letter to ex-Hong Kong governor Chris Patten
- In letter to ex-governor Chris Patten, Rishi Sunak calls Lai ‘champion of free speech’ and says case will remain priority for his government
- Hong Kong government hits back at Sunak’s claims, says they are not aligned with facts
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s national security trial as “politically motivated”, vowing to keep raising the case to Beijing as a priority for his government.
“Jimmy Lai’s prosecution is politically motivated. He has faced multiple prosecutions in an attempt to silence and discredit him,” Sunak wrote in a letter to Hong Kong last British governor Chris Patten and others who raised the tycoon’s case.
The letter, dated January 3, was shared by David Alton, a member of the British House of Lords, on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday.
Sunak called Lai a “champion of free speech” and said London would continue to bring Lai’s case up in talks with Beijing.
“Mr Lai’s case will remain a priority for this government. We will not hesitate to defend the values he stands for,” he said, stressing the UK’s commitment to “hold China to its international obligations”.
Lai, the 76-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid, is on trial for sedition and two national security charges.
He pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces – which carry a possible life sentence under the national security law – and one count of conspiring to publish seditious publications under the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance.