Government Minister declines to say why the UK has failed to call for the immediate release from prison in Hong Kong of the British citizen Jimmy Lai or to say and under what circumstances they would do so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL10649):

Questions by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of calls by the government of the USA, the EU Parliament and United Nations Special Rapporteurs for the release from prison in Hong Kong of the British citizen Jimmy Lai. (HL10649)

Tabled on: 18 October 2023

This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:

1. To ask His Majesty’s Government why they have not called for the release from prison in Hong Kong of the British citizen Jimmy Lai, and under what circumstances they would do so. (HL10650)
   Tabled on: 18 October 2023
2. To ask His Majesty’s Government what consideration they will give the continuing imprisonment of British citizen Jimmy Lai and other democracy advocates in Hong Kong in deciding to resume discussions in the UK–China Joint Economic and Trade Commission. (HL10651)
   Tabled on: 18 October 2023

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

As the Foreign Secretary outlined in the latest Six-Monthly Report on Hong Kong, Mr Lai and others have been targeted by the Hong Kong authorities under the guise of national security and his case is highly politicised. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Lai’s case and China’s ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on 31 August during his visit to China. Senior officials have and will continue to raise cases such as Mr Lai’s with the Hong Kong authorities. We continue to press for consular access to Mr Lai and diplomats at our Consulate-General in Hong Kong attend Mr Lai’s court proceedings. We will continue to bring our international partners together to shine a light on the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including on individual cases such as Mr Lai’s. In September, the UK led a side event at the UN Human Rights Council on media freedom in Hong Kong, supported by 24 other countries. The UK Government has not made any decision on the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission.

Date and time of answer: 26 Oct 2023 at 11:34.