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Trump appeals to Xi for Jimmy Lai's release
US President Donald Trump revealed on Monday that he had asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping to consider freeing Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old Hong Kong pro-democracy advocate convicted under the city's national security law earlier this week.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump described Lai as an "older man" in poor health and said he had raised the case with Xi, though he did not specify when the request was made. "I feel so badly," Trump said. "I did put that request out. We'll see what happens."
International condemnation follows verdict
The United Kingdom has demanded Lai's "immediate release," with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper denouncing the ruling as a "politically motivated persecution." Cooper told Parliament on Monday that Lai had been targeted for "peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression."
The UK Foreign Office has summoned China's ambassador to express its position "in the strongest terms," Cooper added, calling the situation "heartbreaking." Lai holds British citizenship.
Hong Kong court convicts Lai under security law
A Hong Kong court found Lai guilty on Monday of colluding with foreign forces, a charge under the city's national security law. He was also convicted of publishing seditious material under a colonial-era statute linked to his pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, stating that Lai's actions had "damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers." Rights groups, however, dismissed the trial as a "cruel judicial farce."
China defends trial amid global criticism
China's foreign ministry rejected international criticism of the trial, calling it "brazen defamation and smearing" of Hong Kong's judicial system. Beijing maintains that the national security law is essential for the city's stability.
Lai has been detained since December 2020 and faces a potential life sentence. His sentencing is scheduled for early next year.
Family raises health concerns
Lai's children have warned that his health is deteriorating in prison. Sebastien Lai told the BBC earlier this year that given his father's age and condition, he could "die in prison." The case has drawn sustained concern from global rights organizations and foreign leaders.
