In December 2020, Apple Daily, an advocate for freedom of speech and assembly, and the founder of Next Digital, Jimmy Lai, were arrested by the Hong Kong police National Security Department for “colluding with foreign forces” under the National Security Law. Lai, aged 77, has been in detention for over four years and continues to be held in solitary confinement, undergoing more than four months of trial proceedings. Concerns have been raised by his relatives abroad about his deteriorating physical and mental health.
According to the United Nations Convention against Torture, solitary confinement can amount to torture or ill-treatment. Lai’s plight has drawn strong attention from overseas Chinese communities who stand for justice. Last weekend (February 22nd, 23rd), Chinese community groups in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco gathered in front of Chinese diplomatic missions to urge the Hong Kong authorities to treat Lai with kindness and release the media tycoon with a conscience.
During the two-day gathering in front of the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles, about two hundred participants displayed banners reading “Jimmy Lai is innocent,” “Release Jimmy Lai immediately,” and “Freedom of speech,” while chanting slogans in unison.
Veteran of the Chinese Democratic Party in Los Angeles, Zhu Yufu, who is over seventy years old and has been struggling with illness, convened the Saturday gathering. In his speech, he mentioned seeing Lai with chains around his body, akin to being entangled by a venomous snake. He emphasized his presence at the rally for his own future and that of others.
Zhu Yufu noted that Lai is an extraordinary individual who, as a young person, fled from the mainland to Hong Kong and by working hard, became a successful businessman living a prosperous life. When he founded Apple Daily in 1995, his net worth had already reached $500 million. However, he was concerned about the loss of freedom of speech in Hong Kong and ultimately took the path of defending freedom and opposing authoritarian rule.
Chairman of the China Social Democratic Party, Liu Yinquan, stated during his speech that Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” was a promise made by the Communist Party itself, and Lai’s call for democracy is a completely legitimate act. He emphasized that before the enforcement of the National Security Law, the people of Hong Kong enjoyed full freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech; as a media founder, Lai should have the right to freedom of speech and press.
One of the leaders of the China Democratic Party, Zheng Cunzhu, expressed that through continuous media coverage during the Hong Kong extradition bill protests in 2019, Lai brought the true situation of Hong Kong to the attention of the world: that amidst the peaceful protests of the Hong Kong people, the “riots” maliciously depicted by the media controlled by the Chinese Communist Party did not occur.
Zheng praised the courage of the million Hong Kongers who took to the streets to demand the withdrawal of the controversial bill, emphasizing democracy, freedom, and judicial independence. He stated, “We know that there were later conflicts between the police and the people, all of which were violent suppression by the Hong Kong police against the exercise of democratic rights by the people.”
“He (Jimmy Lai) is innocent,” Zheng said. “As a conscientious media entrepreneur, he has been able to convey the truth of the Hong Kong protests over the past three years to the world, which is very admirable.”
Zheng added that individuals like Lai, who are successful, could have been influential figures in Hong Kong if they were willing to compromise with the authorities. However, Lai chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with ordinary citizens and protest on the streets until he was detained.
He pointed out that under the National Security Law, “Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of democratic freedom and judicial independence, which is an inevitable result of the Communist Party’s tyranny extending to Hong Kong.”
The protest rally in front of the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles on Sunday was led by democratic activist Le Zai Lin. He stated that overseas Chinese will not remain silent on Lai’s situation; the Chinese Communist Party fears the truth and freedom, hence detaining and persecuting Lai as a warning to those who dare to speak out.
Le Zai Lin called on the Chinese community to stand up in support of Jimmy Lai, stating, “Today they persecute Jimmy Lai, tomorrow they could persecute anyone else striving for freedom.”
Over the two days, more than ten Chinese community groups participated in the Los Angeles rally, including the Joint Headquarters and branches of the China Democratic Party, the China Democratic Party Central Committee, the China Social Democratic Party, Liberty Sculpture Park, Liberty Bell Democracy Fund, China Citizens’ Court, China Anti-Political Persecution Alliance, China Democracy and Human Rights Alliance, Los Angeles Hong Kong Home for Brothers and Sisters, International Human Rights Focus Group, Los Angeles Blank Walk Ending Chinese Communist Association, June Fourth Memorial Hall, and the Almighty Christ Anti-Communist Front.
The groups participating in the San Francisco rally included Humanitarian China, the China Democratic Education Foundation, and the Asian Women’s Refugee Art Group. ◇