China fears that "a troubled Catholic" Jimmy Lai, if he regained his freedom, would resume his opposition to Beijing," says 2 journalists from the American paper "New York Times" by Alexander Stevenson and David Pierson. The man is imprisoned for an uncompromising attitude towards the communist government in China.
Jimmy Lai, a Catholic publisher of the popular tabloid, was found guilty on Monday 14 December of the alleged "conspiracy to cooperate with abroad forces" and publishing "subversive materials" after decades of supporting the banned pro-democracy movement in the city. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments recognized him as the main inspiration for these protests. Prosecutors accused the Catholic publisher of interacting with abroad governments to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong. As evidence, they recalled Laia's encounters with abroad diplomats and another officials in the United States, large Britain and Japan.
The legal squad of the suspect argued that after the entry into force of the National safety Act in 2020. Lai didn't call for sanctions. any of Laia's erstwhile associates testified against him in exchange for leniency. – Nothing shows the more draconian nature of this bill than the result of the trial said Thomas E. Kellogg, Executive manager of the Center for Asian Law at Georgetown University. Lai “was convicted of being punished solely for exercising his constitutional rights, which, under Hong Kong autonomy, should be protected by courts. Instead, Hong Kong and Beijing authorities receive a blank check for violating these rights."
The governments of many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom (Lai is simply a British citizen), condemned this proceeding and called for its release. president Trump stated that he would effort to "save" Laia, and during the South Korean summit in October this year he addressed straight to China's ultimate leader Xi Jinping, with an appeal for the release of the media magnate," Laia's abroad legal squad reported.
However, the media believe that president Trump may now be little inclined to exert force on Xi in Lai's case, as he has softened his position towards China in fresh months. For the first time in over 30 years, the White home has published a national safety strategy that has not criticised the authoritarian governments of China or pressed Beijing on human rights issues. The US Consulate in Hong Kong, who sent his typical to court on Monday, did not issue a message on that decision. It is unclear whether China is curious in mediating in the diplomatic agreement on Laia's release, possibly for medical reasons. Chinese and Hong Kong officials privately claim that Lai has become an example and fear that if he regained his freedom, he would resume his opposition to Beijing if he lived in exile abroad.
Source: KAI
Hong Kong: Catholic billionaire convicted by Communist Chinese authorities
