Since then, the activist has been convicted of assembly violations and a fraud charge. In September, he marked his 1,000th day in prison in Hong Kong awaiting trial on further charges. The Apple Daily, meanwhile, ceased publication in 2021 after a government raid and multiple arrests of employees.
In a petition this month signed by 10 Catholic bishops and archbishops, the prelates “call[ed] on the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to immediately and unconditionally release Jimmy Lai.”
“Mr. Lai’s persecution for supporting pro-democracy causes through his newspaper and in other forums has gone on long enough,” the prelates wrote.
“There is no place for such cruelty and oppression in a territory that claims to uphold the rule of law and respect the right to freedom of expression,” they said.
“In standing up for his beliefs and committing himself through his faith to challenge autocracy and repression, Jimmy Lai has lost his business, been cut off from his family, and has just surpassed 1,000 days in prison, while facing the prospect of many more years of incarceration to come.”
“He is 75 years old,” the bishops said. “He must be freed now.”