The US and UK have called for the release of Hong Kong media magnate and activist Jimmy Lai

Jimmy Loy (center) is escorted by authorities on his way to court in December 2020.Image by AFP

Lai, 76, a critic of China, has been in custody since 2020 and faces life in prison for violating a controversial national security law imposed by Beijing on the semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong. Lai, the former owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, is accused of colluding with foreign powers to force its closure.

“As a prominent and outspoken journalist and publisher, Jimmy Loy has been the target of an operation aimed at restricting his freedom of expression and association,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement.

Cameron met Sebastian Lye, son of well-known dissident, in London last Tuesday. China reacted angrily and accused the UK of having 'evil intentions' towards the former British colony.

The US has also demanded Lai's immediate release. “The United States condemns the prosecution of pro-democracy activist and media owner Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong under Chinese-imposed national security laws,” a US State Department spokesman said in a statement. Since China introduced the security law, the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong has been suppressed.

The European Union and the United Nations have also expressed concern over the case against Lai, a British citizen. That criticism was dismissed by Beijing as defamation and interference.