Jimmy Lai’s international legal team file appeal with United Nations amid reports he is denied Holy Communion

This past week, the international legal team for Jimmy Lai, the jailed entrepreneur and pro-democracy campaigner in Hong Kong, submitted an urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, Dr Alice Edwards, on his behalf.

The appeal highlights Mr Lai’s prolonged detention in solitary confinement for over three and a half years in Hong Kong, and denial of access to independent medical care. Mr Lai, aged 76 and a British citizen, suffers from diabetes and has experienced significant weight loss and increasing frailty since being imprisoned for peacefully advocating for democracy. He is routinely held in his cell for 23 hours 10 minutes each day, with only 50 minutes for restricted exercise and limited human contact or access to daylight.

The appeal to the UN also details the grossly disproportionate imprisonment for entirely peaceful acts in Hong Kong. In a statement from Doughty Street Chambers, the international legal team says, “Mr Lai is being accused of practising journalism, speaking to politicians about politics, and raising concerns about accountability for human rights violations in Hong Kong.” 

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC added: “International law is clear: it is always unlawful for a prisoner to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. This unlawful, appalling treatment of Mr Lai must end.”

In addition to these concerns, according to a new report in The Pillar, Mr Lai – a devout Catholic – has now been banned from receiving Holy Communion from priests who occasionally visit him. He has reportedly been denied the sacrament since his current trial began.

Mr Lai founded the now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily, the largest pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong. Mr Lai has already served several prison sentences on multiple charges, including 13 months for lighting a candle and saying a prayer at a vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. He now faces three charges under the Beijing-imposed Hong Kong National Security Law which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison, and one charge for “conspiracy to publish seditious publications” under the colonial-era sedition law. His trial began on 18 December 2023, and is expected to resume on 20 November 2024.

Benedict Rogers, co-founder and trustee of Hong Kong Watch said:

“Especially given these latest concerns on Jimmy Lai’s worsening prison conditions and denials of his right to freedom of religion or belief, the UK government, United Nations, Pope Francis and the international community must urgently act to secure Mr Lai’s immediate and unconditional release. 

The UK government should swiftly respond to the meeting request of and meet with Sebastien Lai, to show their unwavering support for the release of his father, who is a British citizen, in Hong Kong. The United Nations should seriously consider and respond to last week’s urgent appeal. And the Catholic Church cannot afford silence any longer – Pope Francis should publicly raise Jimmy Lai’s case with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities and ensure that there are no further violations of religious freedom in Hong Kong.

With Mr Lai’s deteriorating health at 76 years of age, there is no time to waste.”

被單獨囚禁超過三年半、被拒領聖餐 黎智英國際律師團隊向聯合國提出緊急呼籲

上週，黎智英國際律師團隊代表黎向聯合國酷刑特別報告員Alice Edwards提出緊急呼籲。

有關呼籲強調，黎智英在香港長期被單獨囚禁，至今已超過三年半，還被剝奪選擇獨立醫療服務的權利。英國公民黎智英現年76歲，患有糖尿病，自因和平提倡民主而入獄以來，體重顯著下降，身體愈來愈虛弱。他每天有23小時10分鐘被關在牢房中，只有短短50分鐘的放風時間，出外運動、與人接觸或接觸日光的機會甚少。

除了上述憂慮之外，新聞網站《The Pillar》報導指，虔誠天主教徒黎智英現被禁止領受間中探訪他的神父的聖餐。據稱自他目前的案件開審以來，他一直被拒絕領受聖餐。

香港監察共同創辦人兼信託人羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：

「英國政府、聯合國、教宗方濟各和國際社會必須緊急採取行動，讓黎智英立即無條件獲釋，特別是考慮到最近對黎智英獄中待遇惡化及其宗教或信仰自由權利被剝奪的憂慮。

英國政府應迅速回應黎智英兒子黎崇恩的會面要求，藉以表明堅定支持釋放在香港受審的英國公民黎智英。聯合國應嚴正考慮並回應上週的緊急呼籲。天主教會不能再保持沉默，教宗方濟各應向中國和香港當局公開提出黎智英的案件，確保香港宗教自由不再受到侵犯。

黎智英今年76歲，健康每況愈下，我們沒有時間可以浪費了。」