Former Hong Kong Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who once spoke out for Hong Kong and defended press freedom, has been arrested on charges of colluding with foreign forces due to his opposition to the National Security Law. He has been held in solitary confinement for nearly four years, enduring torture and deteriorating health conditions. Global human rights organizations are calling for the release of Jimmy Lai.
On February 23, Icelandic democracy advocate Zhou Feng stood in front of the Chinese Consulate in Iceland in support of global human rights organizations’ efforts to rescue Jimmy Lai. He shouted, “Release Jimmy Lai! Restore freedom to Hong Kong!”
At 77 years old, Jimmy Lai, who expressed support for Hong Kong’s universal suffrage in 2014 and 2019 and opposed the Hong Kong National Security Law, has been targeted by the Chinese Communist government. The Hong Kong National Security Law was enacted in 2020, and in December of the same year, Jimmy Lai was arrested and is currently detained pending trial.
According to a previous report by the Associated Press, Jimmy Lai is being held in Chi Ma Wan Prison, confined alone in his cell for almost 23 hours a day, with only 50 minutes of outdoor time in a small space approximately 10 meters long and 5 meters wide.
Jimmy Lai is allowed to meet with family and friends twice a month, each meeting lasting half an hour, communicating only through phones and glass partitions. Diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension in 2021, Jimmy Lai, as a Category A prisoner (assessed as a major criminal), is feared to face lifelong imprisonment.
Zhou Feng told a reporter from Epoch Times, “Mr. Jimmy Lai is a successful businessman who could have lived in luxury but instead chose to fight for freedom and democracy in Hong Kong. He founded Next Magazine and Apple Daily, providing a voice for Hong Kong, defending press freedom, and despite tremendous pressure and persecution, he remains in Hong Kong, sharing hardships with the people.”
“This nearly 80-year-old man is currently suffering in prison, alone for almost four years, with diabetes and without adequate medical care. His son, Dennis Lai, warns, ‘His body is collapsing… this is akin to torture.'”
Zhou Feng further stated, “We are here today not just for Jimmy Lai but for the freedom and democracy of Hong Kong. Just as Jimmy Lai has shown, we must persist and fight for justice. He once said, ‘If I don’t go to hell, who will?’ This fearless spirit inspires each and every one of us.”
Zhou Feng demands that the Hong Kong government immediately unconditionally release Jimmy Lai, provide him with urgent medical treatment, and stop the persecution of Hong Kong democracy advocates!