Health of Magnate Jimmy Lai Deteriorates in Prison

Daughter of Jimmy Lai Concerned for Her Father's Health

The daughter of pro-democracy magnate Jimmy Lai, who is imprisoned in Hong Kong, has voiced concerns regarding her father's health, stating that his nails "sometimes fall off" and his teeth are decaying. Lai, 78 years old, has been detained since December 2020 and faces a life sentence. Earlier this month, he was convicted of colluding with foreign forces under the city’s controversial National Security Law.

Chinese authorities have denied allegations of mistreatment in prison, asserting that he is in "good health." The BBC has obtained a letter from Lai's family requesting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to advocate for his release during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

His daughter, Claire Lai, currently in exile in London, told the BBC that she fears she "may never see him again." "Of course, I worry that my father will become a martyr, and I don’t want him to be a martyr. But I wouldn’t be here today, I wouldn’t be speaking if I didn’t believe this is the best chance to reunite with our family,” she stated.

Claire described how her father, a "very robust and strong man" when he entered prison, has lost "a significant amount of weight" over the past year. "He is diabetic, has heart issues that he didn’t have before. His nails are turning gray-purple and sometimes fall off. His teeth are decaying. He suffers from back and waist pains. On some days, it is painful for him to stand; sometimes he can’t stand at all and sometimes he can’t even get out of bed."

Laï's family has repeatedly raised concerns about his deteriorating health. His son, Sebastien, previously told the BBC that "my father’s body is breaking down." A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong stated that Lai's "legal rights and interests" have been "undoubtedly protected, and he is in good health." They added that Lai has been provided with a "safe, humane, appropriate, and healthy detention environment, in accordance with the law."

Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, is the most prominent person accused under the National Security Law (NSL) introduced in 2020 as a response to massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Beijing defends the law as necessary for maintaining stability in Hong Kong, but critics argue it effectively suppresses dissent. Lai has been accused of lobbying foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.

Following Lai's conviction, the United Kingdom condemned it as "politically motivated persecution," stating he was "targeted... for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression." The UK government has repeatedly called for the repeal of the National Security Law and an end to prosecutions against all individuals charged under it, according to the British Foreign Office. Chinese authorities, in their statement, claimed that Western attempts to "influence judicial verdicts through political pressure trample the spirit of the rule of law and fully expose the hypocritical 'double standard.' The Chinese side firmly opposes this situation."