Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old pro-democracy advocate, now faces the possibility of life imprisonment. His conviction under Hong Kong’s national security law has sent shockwaves through the international community and ignited fears for his rapidly declining health.
Lai’s son, Sebastien, paints a harrowing picture of his father’s confinement. For five years, he has been held in a cell barely six by ten feet, stripped of natural light and subjected to brutal humidity and heat – conditions Sebastien says are actively destroying his father’s health.
The physical toll is devastating. Lai has lost ten kilos in the last year alone, battling infections, bleeding rashes, rotting teeth, and nails that fall off. These conditions, compounded by his age, are causing a swift and alarming deterioration.
Lai’s story began long before his imprisonment. He arrived in Hong Kong as a young boy of twelve, while the territory was still under British rule, and later became a successful businessman, founding the international clothing brand Giordano.
But Lai’s true calling emerged through his fearless journalism. He founded publications like Next Magazine and, most notably, Apple Daily – a tabloid that became a powerful voice for democracy in Hong Kong, directly challenging the growing influence of the Chinese government.
Apple Daily wasn’t just a newspaper; it was a symbol of defiance. Lai reportedly named it after the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden, representing the courage to confront good and evil, and openly criticized the brutal suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
The newspaper played a crucial role in supporting the massive pro-democracy protests of 2019 and 2020, amplifying the voices of those demanding greater freedoms. This support ultimately drew the ire of authorities, leading to the newspaper’s forced closure in June 2021.
The introduction of the controversial national security law in 2020 marked a turning point. This legislation dramatically curtailed Hong Kong’s autonomy, dismantling the “one country, two systems” principle promised after the 1997 handover from British control.
The law effectively criminalized dissent and paved the way for Lai’s arrest in December 2020. His trial, lasting 156 days, focused on charges of conspiracy to publish seditious publications and collusion with foreign powers – accusations stemming, in part, from meetings with US officials during the Trump administration.
The verdict has been widely condemned by human rights groups as politically motivated. Leaders have voiced strong disapproval, with calls for Lai’s release and access to urgent medical care continuing to grow.
Sebastien Lai continues to tirelessly campaign for his father’s freedom, desperately hoping to secure his release before his health fails completely. The world watches, bracing for Lai’s sentencing in the new year, and fearing the consequences for the future of democracy in Hong Kong.
