Jimmy Lai’s Life At Serious And Immediate Risk In Detention

On September 4, 2025, the international legal team for Jimmy Lai, and his son Sebastien Lai, has submitted a new Urgent Appeal to the United Nations experts in relation to the serious and immediate risk to Jimmy Lai’s life posed by his ongoing detention. Jimmy Lai, a British citizen aged 77, owner of the independent newspaper Apple Daily and pro-democracy and human rights defender, has been detained and subjected to multiple Kafkaesque trials for fighting for freedom of speech and democracy in Hong Kong. He has been imprisoned, mostly in solitary confinement, for some 1,700 days, having been detained since December 2020, and faces life imprisonment for simply standing by his principles and values.

Jimmy Lai has been facing multiple prosecutions, including for alleged sedition and alleged conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the controversial Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong and Special Administrative Region (NSL). On August 28, 2025, Jimmy Lai’s case under NSL concluded, and a verdict is awaited. If convicted, Jimmy Lai could be sentenced to life imprisonment. The NSL has been having a profound effect on the right to a fair trial and the rule of law in Hong Kong. Among others, the law established a separate procedure for the investigation, prosecution and trial of those suspected under the NSL. Those prosecuted under the NSL are often denied the right to a jury trial and face trial before a panel of three specially designated national security judges. They may also face extradition to the mainland for trial. Many experts and civil society organizations have been raising serious concerns about the operation of the law.

Last year, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled that Jimmy Lai is unlawfully and arbitrarily detained, calling for his immediate release. Several States, including the U.K., the U.S., Australia and the E.U., and the U.N. Special Rapporteurs, called for his immediate and unconditional release.

The Urgent Appeal submitted to the United Nations experts, including the Special Rapporteur on torture, Dr Alice Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr Morris Tidball-Binz, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Ms Tlaleng Mofokeng, contains new evidence and analysis conducted by the international legal team of “an apparent systemic failure of the Hong Kong authorities to treat the deteriorating health of older and diabetic prisoners; and it addresses mounting concerns about Mr Lai’s deteriorating health and the risks to his life.”

The analysis produced by the international team of lawyers from Doughty Street Chamber, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC (Associate) and includes Jonathan Price KC, Tatyana Eatwell, Jennifer Robinson and Martha Spurrier (Associate), reviewed the deaths of prisoners in Hong Kong in the period 2014 – 2025. The results of this review, described by the lawyers as “deeply disturbing” reveal a significant number of deaths of older prisoners and diabetic prisoners in circumstances where there “appears to have been a failure to identify a person’s deteriorating health condition in prison and a failure to transfer them to hospital in time for life-saving treatment.” The Urgent Appeal further warns that, “it is chilling to note that twelve prisoners who died during the period 2014 – 2025 closely match Mr Lai’s profile, being older, male diabetic prisoners. The most recent death of a diabetic prisoner was just last month, on 28th June 2025, of a man aged 74.”

Jimmy Lai, 77 years, has a history of chronic health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure and a heart condition, which places him at higher risk of poor – and potentially fatal – health outcomes. The detention in prolonged solitary confinement further adds to the risks to his physical and mental health, and ultimately his life. The international team of Jimmy Lai also raised the fact that the authorities are well aware of the dire medical condition of Jimmy Lai. Indeed, the closing arguments in his case had to be postponed due to serious concerns about Jimmy’s health. Mr Lai had been suffering from heart palpitations and fatigue. He has subsequently been fitted with a cardiac monitor. Nonetheless, Jimmy Lai has not had an adequate independent medical assessment nor received proper treatment.

Jimmy Lai’s son, Sebastien, expressed these deep worries about the emerging news: “My father, Jimmy Lai, is 77, diabetic and has been in solitary confinement for almost five years. He is showing extraordinary courage in standing up for the values of press freedom and democracy in the face of unspeakable abuses of his human rights. But I fear he will die in prison unless urgent action is taken by the British Government. I ask the Prime Minister to take concrete steps to free my father – a UK national – and save his life.”

The ongoing denial of access to independent medical care and the lack of specialized medical care, which increases his risk of long-term complications and risks to Jimmy’s health and life, should worry everyone who cares about human rights and democracy – the very values Jimmy Lai has been fighting for.