WASHINGTON: The United States on Sunday called for the immediate release of Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, shortly before he was to stand trial in the Chinese city on national security charges that could see him jailed for life.
Lai, 76, founded the now-shuttered Chinese-language tabloid Apple Daily, which often bashed Beijing and supported the huge protest movement that roiled Hong Kong in 2019.
He stands accused of "collusion" with foreign forces under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the finance hub in 2020.
Lai's trial opens Monday in Hong Kong – he will be tried without a jury and has been denied the lawyer of his choice.
"The United States condemns the prosecution of pro-democracy advocate and media owner Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong under the PRC-imposed National Security Law," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
"We urge Beijing and Hong Kong authorities to respect press freedom in Hong Kong," Miller said.
The spokesman noted that actions to curb the free flow of information in the city and changes to its electoral system had "undermined Hong Kong's democratic institutions and harmed Hong Kong's reputation as an international business and financial hub."
"We call on Hong Kong authorities to immediately release Jimmy Lai and all others imprisoned for defending their rights."
The United States, Britain, the European Union and the United Nations have all expressed concerns about Lai's case, but Beijing has dismissed them as smears and interference. Lai is a British citizen.--AFP