""That topic and the fate of one man are inextricably linked: my client, Jimmy Lai," Gallagher said in her opening remarks. Lai, a 78-year-old businessman and publisher of a pro-democracy newspaper, has been held in solitary confinement in Hong Kong since late 2020. A British national, Lai has been on trial since late 2023 and faces life imprisonment for allegedly colluding with foreign forces as well as for sedition."
"The governments of multiple countries, including the United States, say the charges against him are politically motivated. Addressing the senators, Gallagher described the poor conditions in which Lai is being detained and expressed alarm about his declining health, which she said has been exacerbated by inadequate medical treatment for diabetes. (Hong Kong authorities have rejected claims that Lai is denied specialized medical care.)"
Caoilfhionn Gallagher appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wearing a "Free Jimmy Lai" pin and focused on the decline of human rights and democracy in Hong Kong. Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old British businessman and pro-democracy newspaper publisher, has been held in solitary confinement since late 2020 and has been on trial since late 2023 on charges of colluding with foreign forces and sedition that carry potential life sentences. Multiple governments characterize the charges as politically motivated. Reports describe poor detention conditions and worsening diabetes amid allegedly inadequate medical treatment, which Hong Kong authorities deny. The 2020 national security law has enabled prosecutions and crackdowns on independent media and the pro-democracy movement.
Read at The Nation
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