A YORK MP has condemned the guilty verdict brought against a media tycoon.
Luke Charters, Labour MP for York Outer, has responded to the verdict against Jimmy Lai who founded the now-defunct Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, and had been a persistent critic of the Chinese government.
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He was arrested in 2020 under the national security law, which was brought in after anti-government protests the previous year.
Mr Lai has spent much of the time since in solitary confinement, and pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him.
Mr Charters condemned the guilty verdict given by a Hong Kong court last week to the pro-democracy activist for sedition and conspiracy charges.
Mr Charters said: “The guilty verdict against Jimmy Lai is deeply concerning and will be felt strongly by many people in the UK with close ties to Hong Kong.
"In York Outer, I regularly hear from members of our Hong Kong community who want to see Jimmy Lai released and fundamental freedoms upheld.
"Jimmy Lai has been targeted for peacefully exercising his right to free expression. His case reflects the wider use of the National Security Law to undermine rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, alongside the continued pressure on pro-democracy activists.
"I welcome this Government’s clear commitment to standing up for our values, and to continuing to raise concerns about human rights in Hong Kong at the highest levels. I have previously asked the former Secretary of State to raise Jimmy Lai’s case consistently in his discussions with Chinese officials, and I am encouraged that this remains an important part of the UK’s approach.
"It is also right that the UK continues to offer safety and security to Hong Kongers who have made their lives here, and I welcome the Government’s ongoing work to protect those communities.”
Mr Charters also welcomed the continued support available to Hong Kongers in the UK through the BNO visa route, and reiterated his support for a clear and consistent approach to China that does not compromise on the UK’s values.
His comments follow Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper summoning the Chinese ambassador over the conviction.
Mr Lai’s son, Sebastien, said the result showed the UK Government needed to do more and “put action behind words”.
He said the Government should make his father’s release a precondition for closer UK-China relations.
China’s embassy said the UK’s condemnation of Mr Lai’s conviction “blatantly interferes in China’s internal affairs and tramples on the rule of law, and seriously violates the basic norms governing international relations”.
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