MPs from world wide are urging their heads of state to observe Donald Trump’s name for jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s launch as he awaits a verdict.
Parliamentarians from 16 international locations, starting from the UK and Canada to Zambia and Paraguay, have written to their prime ministers and presidents in a coordinated international effort to get them to “form a united coalition” in help of Mr Lai.
He’s accused of conspiring to collude with overseas forces and sedition underneath the nationwide safety legislation imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing following pro-democracy protests he was concerned with in 2019.
In August, the US president renewed his promise to “save” Mr Lai, saying he’s “going to do everything” he can to get him freed, after initially pledging to “100% get him out” weeks earlier than the US election final November.
Now, parliamentarians, together with British MPs and Lords, who’re members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), are calling on their leaders to observe go well with.
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Sebastien Lai holds an image of his father Jimmy Lai. File pic: AP
Of their letter, IPAC MPs, a bunch of politicians in several international locations with an curiosity in China relations, have urged their state leaders to “join with” the US to “prioritise advocacy on Mr Lai’s behalf, and to stand in solidarity with other global leaders to form a united coalition in support of Mr Lai”.
The MPs wrote: “A clear and coordinated international response is essential to challenge the injustice he faces and to reaffirm the universal principles of democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press.”
They mentioned with out a globally coordinated intervention “at the highest levels” Mr Lai might be convicted and die in jail.
“We implore you to take up Mr Lai’s case personally, in coordination with other leaders of democratic countries,” they mentioned.
The MPs have mentioned Mr Lai is now an aged man who has been separated from his household and held in solitary confinement for greater than 4 years “simply for democratic values and the basic freedoms promised to the people of Hong Kong”.
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‘My father will die in jail’
“A strong and united global response is needed and Britain must join with our allies in calling for his immediate release.”
MPs who’re sending letters to their leaders come from: Albania, UK, Canada, France, Kenya, Sweden, Australia, Romania, Zambia, The Phillippines, the European Parliament, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Paraguay, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.
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Labour MP Sarah Champion is among the signatories from the UK. File pic
The Chinese language embassy in London has beforehand denied claims the prosecution of Mr Lai is to silence criticism.
A spokesman mentioned the UK’s earlier remarks criticising Hong Kong over Mr Lai “confuse right and wrong and interfere with the rule of law in Hong Kong. We are firmly opposed to that”.
They’ve repeatedly mentioned Hong Kong is ruled by the rule of legislation and “any illegal criminal behaviour should be punished by law”.
