Urgent plea for Jimmy Lai’s release as health deteriorates
The son of imprisoned British citizen Jimmy Lai has issued an urgent plea to Andy Burnham to help save his father from a Hong Kong jail “before it’s too late”, reports BritPanorama.
Mr Lai, the 78-year-old founder of Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February on disputed collusion and sedition charges, amid a growing national security crackdown by Beijing in the former British colony.
He has reportedly been kept in solitary confinement since his December 2020 arrest, raising serious concerns for his deteriorating physical health, with his family expressing fears over the impact of his conditions.
In a personal letter to Mr Burnham, Sebastien Lai called for an urgent meeting and urged him to personally press Chinese President Xi Jinping for his father’s release on humanitarian grounds.
Sebastien noted that Mr Burnham is the fifth prime minister since his father’s imprisonment, with seven foreign secretaries in that time, creating a delay that jeopardizes timely intervention.
In the letter penned last month, he wrote: “When the prime minister or foreign secretary changes, there is an inevitable delay and critical time is lost. This is why I have been keen to meet to brief you urgently, to avoid a repeat of this familiar pattern.”
As a British citizen, Sebastien emphasized the necessity for the prime minister to lead international calls for his father’s release, requesting a meeting ahead of Parliament’s return on September 1, 2026. He stressed his availability at any time and location for this urgent discussion.
The appeal follows previous communications sent to the UK government coinciding with Mr Burnham’s appointment and alarming updates regarding Mr Lai’s health following nearly six years in solitary confinement.
Sebastien expressed deep concerns about his father’s well-being, as Jimmy Lai suffers from heart conditions and diabetes and has experienced significant weight loss. “My father is 78 years old. His health is deteriorating, and after more than five and a half years in solitary confinement in a tiny cell, in a week that Hong Kong has experienced its highest-ever temperatures, we are desperately worried about how much longer he can endure this,” he stated.
He criticized the previous government’s lack of prompt engagement, pointing out delays that have hindered proper intervention, and implored Burnham not to repeat this pattern. “Meet with me. Hear directly what is happening to my father. And please make his release a personal priority with President Xi,” he urged.
The family has dismissed claims by the Hong Kong authorities that Mr Lai receives adequate healthcare, highlighting that their requests for independent medical care have been consistently rebuffed, and they are no longer permitted to supply his medication to the prison.
While Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband reportedly raised Mr Lai’s situation during discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Mr Lai’s international legal team stresses that the matter requires intervention from the highest political powers in the UK.
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, international counsel for Mr Lai and Sebastien, remarked on the urgency of the situation, calling for immediate action from the new prime minister. “Jimmy’s situation is now desperately urgent. He is an elderly and ailing British citizen who has spent coming up to six years in solitary confinement, sometimes in sweltering conditions, and whose health is deteriorating by the day,” she warned.
Reflecting on the government’s responsibility, Gallagher expressed hope that Mr Burnham would seize this opportunity to ensure that Jimmy Lai’s life is prioritized in diplomatic discussions. Downing Street has been contacted for comment.
