G7 calls for Jimmy Lai’s release, China slams ‘interference’ in its affairs

G7 governments telephone connected Hong Kong authorities to ‘end specified prosecutions’, merchandise pro-democracy media tycoon immediately.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) precocious economies person condemned the prosecution of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai by Hong Kong authorities, successful a determination that Chinese officials person dismissed arsenic “crude interference successful China’s interior affairs”.

On Monday, a sheet of 3 judges found the 78-year-old media tycoon guilty of 2 counts of conspiring with overseas forces to endanger nationalist information and 1 number of conspiracy to people seditious material.

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Lai volition beryllium sentenced aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth and faces the anticipation of beingness successful prison.

In a little associated connection issued by G7 members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States connected Wednesday, authorities successful Hong Kong were called connected to “end specified prosecutions and to merchandise Jimmy Lai immediately”.

“We proceed to explicit our concerns astir deteriorating rights, freedoms and autonomy successful Hong Kong,” the G7 said.

Responding to the statement, China’s state-run Global Times paper quoted an unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese embassy successful Canada arsenic saying it represented a “crude interference successful China’s interior affairs” and a “serious usurpation of the basal norms governing planetary relations”.

“We impulse the applicable parties to respect China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s regularisation of law, and to instantly halt interfering successful Hong Kong’s judicial affairs and China’s interior affairs,” the spokesperson said.

Lai, who pleaded not blameworthy to each charges, has been successful detention for 5 years since his apprehension during a bid of antigovernment protests that gripped Hong Kong successful 2019 and 2020.

In 2020, Chinese authorities introduced a draconian nationalist information law successful Hong Kong arsenic portion of a harsh crackdown by Beijing connected dissent successful the territory pursuing the wide protests. The instrumentality established secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with overseas organisations arsenic crimes carrying hefty punishment.

Lai’s lawsuit represents the astir high-profile usage of that instrumentality to date, with critics condemning his proceedings arsenic politically motivated.

US President Donald Trump has publically backed Lai, repeatedly promising to bash what helium tin to “save” him.

Authorities successful Beijing and Hong Kong importune Lai has been fixed a just trial, with the Chinese embassy successful Canada reiterating successful its Wednesday connection that “everyone is adjacent earlier the law” successful Hong Kong.

“Jimmy Lai is simply a main planner and subordinate successful a bid of large anti-China, destabilising activities successful [Hong Kong]. His crimes are good documented and the harm helium has caused is grave,” the spokesperson said.

“The judicial authorities of [Hong Kong] person performed their duties successful accordance with the law, upheld the authorization of the law, and safeguarded nationalist security. This is reasonable, lawful, and beyond reproach,” they added.

Lai is acceptable to reappear successful tribunal connected January 12 for a pre-sentencing hearing. His lawyer said the jailed activistic volition determine whether to entreaty aft sentencing.