Hong Kong ex-publisher Jimmy Lai's sentence raises international concerns as China defends it

2 hours ago 4

HONG KONG (AP) — The sentencing connected Monday of Hong Kong's onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai raised concerns from overseas governments and rights groups, but Chinese and Hong Kong authorities defended it, saying it reflected the tone of the regularisation of law.

Lai, a 78-year-old salient ideology advocate, was sentenced to 20 years successful situation aft being recovered blameworthy successful December of conspiracy to collude with overseas forces and conspiring with others to people seditious articles. His co-defendants, who entered blameworthy pleas to the collusion-related charge, received situation presumption ranging betwixt six years and 3 months, and 10 years.

Some overseas governments and rights groups called for the merchandise of Lai, a British citizen. But China's Foreign Ministry maintained that Lai is simply a Chinese citizen, and urged different countries to respect its sovereignty and the regularisation of instrumentality successful Hong Kong.

Here's what they said:

The European Union

The EU reiterated its telephone for the contiguous and unconditional merchandise of Lai, citing his precocious property and wellness condition.

“The politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai and the erstwhile Apple Daily executives and journalists harms Hong Kong’s reputation,” it said successful a statement. “The EU calls connected the Hong Kong authorities to reconstruct assurance successful property state successful Hong Kong, 1 of the pillars of its historical occurrence arsenic an planetary fiscal center, and to halt prosecuting journalists.”

Australia

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country's authorities is gravely acrophobic by the sentences handed down to Lai and his co-defendants, saying its thoughts are with their household members and supporters astatine this hard time.

Wong said the prosecutions person had a chilling effect connected escaped code successful Hong Kong. She called connected China to halt suppression connected state of expression, media and civilian society, arsenic good arsenic repealing the information law, nether which Lai was convicted.

Britain

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Lai was sentenced for exercising his close to state of look aft a “politically motivated prosecution.” She was acrophobic for Lai’s wellness and called connected the Hong Kong authorities to merchandise him connected humanitarian grounds truthful that helium whitethorn beryllium reunited with his family.

“For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a beingness sentence,” she said, adding that her authorities volition “rapidly prosecute further” connected the case.

China

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters astatine a regular briefing that Lai is simply a Chinese citizen, calling him a large planner and subordinate successful a bid of anti-China destabilizing activities successful Hong Kong.

Lin said the judicial cases are purely Hong Kong's interior affairs, urging "relevant countries” to debar interfering successful Hong Kong’s judicial affairs oregon China’s interior affairs.

Beijing's bureau successful Hong Kong affairs said Lai's condemnation reflected Hong Kong's determination successful safeguarding nationalist information and demonstrated the tone of the regularisation of law.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong person John Lee said Lai's crimes are heinous and that helium had utilized Apple Daily to “poison” residents and incite hatred. He said Lai deserved the condemnation due to the fact that helium openly asked for overseas sanctions against China arsenic good arsenic Hong Kong and harmed their interests.

“His dense condemnation of 20 years successful situation demonstrated the regularisation of law, upheld justice, and brought large restitution to the people,” helium said successful a statement.

Taiwan

Taiwan's mainland affairs assembly condemned the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for suppressing quality rights successful the sanction of nationalist security, urging for Lai's release. It reminded Taiwanese radical to instrumentality Hong Kong's achy acquisition arsenic a informing to safeguard its hard-won escaped mode of life.

Rights groups

Amnesty International said the condemnation marked “another grim milestone” for Hong Kong.

“Imprisoning a 78-year-old antheral for doing thing much than exercising his rights shows a implicit disregard for quality dignity,” Sarah Brooks, Amnesty’s lawman determination director, said.

Reporters Without Borders' Director General Thibaut Bruttin said the tribunal determination underscores the implicit illness of property state successful Hong Kong and the authorities’ contempt for autarkic journalism.

“We person already witnessed property state defender Liu Xiaobo dice successful situation owed to insufficient planetary pressure. We cannot let Jimmy Lai to endure a akin fate,” helium said.

Read Entire Article