Jimmy Lai: Son of jailed Hong Kong tycoon condemns UK 'hypocrisy'

The British lad of a jailed Hong Kong media tycoon has denounced the "hypocrisy" of the UK government.

Sebastien Lai said Britain had failed to sufficiently condemn the ongoing crackdown connected dissent successful Hong Kong.

He pointed retired that it had not called for the merchandise of his begetter Jimmy - besides a UK national - and continues to commercialized with China.

Last twelvemonth Jimmy Lai was jailed astir six years for fraud. He besides faces nationalist information charges.

The 75-year aged tycoon, who founded the pro-democracy Apple Daily paper, is among the astir salient of the alleged Hong Kong 47 pro-democracy activists presently connected proceedings for subversion. He whitethorn walk the remainder of his beingness successful situation if convicted.

On Wednesday, the Hong Kong authorities passed laws preventing overseas lawyers from defending clients successful nationalist information cases, aft Jimmy Lai had hired salient King's Counsel Tim Owen.

Speaking connected the aforesaid time astatine a Washington lawsuit astir the quality rights concern successful Hong Kong, Sebastien Lai called the UK authorities "incredibly weak". He further slammed the Vatican for not lasting up for his father, who is simply a Catholic, and claimed the United States has been "a batch stronger" connected these issues.

"It's precise bittersweet to spot a antiauthoritarian authorities being acrophobic - oregon asking support adjacent - to talk connected behalf of 1 of its citizens that is successful situation for state of speech," said Sebastien Lai.

In 2020, past Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the charges against Jimmy Lai showed Hong Kong authorities' "continued attacks connected the rights and freedoms of its people".

His successors James Cleverly and Liz Truss person besides said that freedoms successful the territory person been "eroded" since Beijing enacted a arguable nationalist information instrumentality , which criminalises subversion, among different offences.

This week, Hong Kong saw the archetypal sojourn by a a elder British authoritative successful 5 years, arsenic Minister for Investment Dominic Johnson held meetings with authorities officials and executives.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said successful January that a inferior overseas bureau curate met Jimmy Lai's ineligible team, which had requested a gathering with the PM.

He added that the Foreign Commonwealth Office had been providing enactment for him.