UK House of Lords debates trial of British citizen Jimmy Lai
Today the UK House of Lords debated an Urgent Question regarding the case of British citizen Jimmy Lai, who started his national security trial in Hong Kong yesterday. Initiated by the Labour foreign affairs spokesperson in the House of Lords, Lord Collins of Highbury, with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Minister Lord Benyon responding, Hong Kong Watch Patrons Lord Alton of Liverpool and Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws as well as Baroness Smith of Newman, The Lord Bishop of St Albans and Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle participated in the debate.
The question of British consular access for Jimmy Lai and the presence of UK consular staff in the courtroom during his trial in Hong Kong were raised in the debate, as well as the question of imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions against Hong Kong officials for their ongoing human rights violations, and the increasing threat to the freedom of religion or belief in Hong Kong. Lord Alton of Liverpool said, “Isn’t this show trial of Jimmy Lai a moment of reckoning for all who claim they value the rule of law, human rights, press freedom and democracy? Isn’t it a moment of reckoning for the duplicitous belief that you can deepen trade deals while the United Kingdom has citizens and 1,762 political prisoners incarcerated in Hong Kong jails?”
FCDO Minister Lord Benyon assured Lord Alton of Liverpool that UK government officials have met with Sebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai, and will continue to support the family of Jimmy Lai as well as press for his consular access which the Hong Kong authorities continue to refuse. Lord Benyon declared that Jimmy Lai is a British citizen and concluded the debate by saying that the UK government will continue to focus on Mr Lai so that his case may be resolved “very soon.”
The debate follows the debate on Jimmy Lai in the UK House of Commons led by Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), yesterday afternoon. Hong Kong Watch Patrons Alistair Carmichael MP, Sarah Champion MP, Catherine West MP and Fiona Bruce MP spoke during this debate. Fiona Bruce MP asked the FCDO if the British government takes seriously the increasing threat to freedom of religion or belief in Hong Kong, and cited Hong Kong Watch’s groundbreaking report on the topic, “Sell Out My Soul: The Impending Threats to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Hong Kong.”
The Urgent Questions in the House of Lords and House of Commons follow British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s statement urging the Hong Kong authorities to “end their prosecution and release Jimmy Lai”, a “British citizen”. Jim Shannon MP also tabled an Early Day Motion on the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, which has now been endorsed by 17 Members of Parliament.
Last week, the Canadian Senate and House of Commons both unanimously supported motions calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Jimmy Lai. The US Department of State also released a statement and called for the release of Jimmy Lai ahead of his trial, stating, “Actions that stifle press freedom and restrict the free flow of information – as well as Beijing and local authorities’ changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system that reduce direct voting and preclude independent and pro-democracy party candidates from participating – have undermined Hong Kong’s democratic institutions and harmed Hong Kong’s reputation as an international business and financial hub.”
Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“We welcome both Chambers of the British Parliament raising Urgent Questions to discuss the case of British citizen Jimmy Lai. We also thank the FCDO for finally and repeatedly declaring Jimmy Lai a British citizen, and calling for his release, and we hope their efforts to free Jimmy Lai align with their rhetoric.
“We hope that the UK government will honour their word by continuing to provide support for the family of Jimmy Lai, press for consular access, and ensure UK consular officials in Hong Kong continue to attend Mr Lai’s trial. British officials must also take seriously the warnings raised by Members of Parliament regarding the risks of continued engagement between British businesses and banks, including leading Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) provider HSBC, and Hong Kong and Chinese companies.
“We will continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Jimmy Lai, and urge British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron to do the same. As we start the Christmas holiday, Jimmy Lai and the more than 1,000 political prisoners in Hong Kong will not be forgotten.”
英國上議院就黎智英案辯論 宣告黎智英為英國公民 保證就領事探視權向港府施壓
英國公民黎智英的《國安法》案件昨天在香港開審。今天，英國上議院就黎智英案的緊急質詢展開辯論。辯論由上議院工黨外交事務發言人Lord Collins of Highbury發起，並由英國外交、聯邦及發展事務部國務大臣潘禮卓勳爵（Lord Benyon）回應。香港監察贊助人奧爾頓勳爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool）、肯尼迪女男爵（Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws），以及上議員Baroness Smith of Newman、聖奧爾本斯主教和本內特女男爵（Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle）亦有參與這場辯論。
辯論中提出了英國領事探視黎智英及審訊期間英國駐香港領事館人員在法庭旁聽的問題，同時提到向持續侵犯人權的香港官員實施馬格尼茨基制裁，以及香港宗教或信仰自由所受到日益嚴重的威脅。
奧爾頓勳爵質問：「黎智英這場擺樣子公審（show trial）難道不是對所有聲稱重視法治、人權、新聞自由和民主的人算帳的時刻嗎？當有英國公民和1,762名政治犯被囚在香港監獄時，這難道不是對那些認為可以加強貿易協議的雙面人算帳的時刻嗎？」
外交部國務大臣潘禮卓勳爵向奧爾頓勳爵保證，英國政府官員已經會見黎智英的兒子黎崇恩，並會繼續支持黎智英的家人，同時亦會就港府一直拒絕的領事探視權向其施壓。潘禮卓勳爵宣告黎智英為英國公民，並在辯論結束時表示，英國政府將繼續關注黎智英，期望他的案件能夠「儘快」解決。
在這場辯論前，英國下議院昨天下午亦有就黎智英案開審展開辯論。辯論由對華政策跨國議會聯盟（IPAC）聯席主席施志安爵士（Sir Iain Duncan Smith）帶領。香港監察贊助人Alistair Carmichael MP、柴萍恩（Sarah Champion MP）、Catherine West MP和Fiona Bruce MP均在辯論中發言。國會議員Fiona Bruce詢問外交部英國政府有否認真對待香港宗教或信仰自由所受到日益嚴重的威脅，並引用香港監察以此為主題的創新報告《出賣我靈：香港宗教或信仰自由即將面臨的威脅》（Sell Out My Soul: The Impending Threats to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Hong Kong）。
在英國國會兩院提出緊急質詢前，外交大臣甘民樂（David Cameron）亦就此發出聲明，敦促香港當局「停止起訴並釋放黎智英」，形容其為「英國公民」。早前國會議員Jim Shannon MP亦就黎智英案提呈早期動議，有關動議現已獲17名國會議員簽署支持。
上週，加拿大參眾兩院一致通過動議，呼籲立即無條件釋放黎智英。美國國務院也在審訊前發表聲明呼籲釋放黎智英，表示：「壓制新聞自由和限制資訊自由流通的行為，以及中港當局改組香港選舉制度，減少直選議席並杜絕獨立和民主派候選人參選，皆破壞了香港的民主制度，並損害了香港作為國際商業和金融中心的聲譽。」
香港監察共同創辦人兼行政總監羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：
「我們歡迎英國國會兩院提出緊急質詢，討論英國公民黎智英的案件。我們也感謝英國外交部終於多次宣告黎智英為英國公民，並呼籲釋放他。我們希望他們就釋放黎智英所採取的行動與他們的言論一致。
我們希望英國政府信守諾言，繼續為黎智英的家人提供支援，要求領事探視，並確保英國駐港領事人員繼續旁聽黎智英的審訊。英國官員也必須認真對待國會議員提出的警告，處理與英國企業和銀行（包括香港強積金信托公司匯豐銀行），以及香港和中國企業繼續接觸的風險。
我們將繼續呼籲立即無條件釋放黎智英，並敦促英國首相辛偉誠和外相甘民樂仿效。當我們踏入聖誕，黎智英和一千多名香港政治犯不會被遺忘。」