Thank you Mr. Chair.
My name is Katherine Leung, and I am the policy adviser for Hong Kong Watch Canada.
I appear before this committee today with a central message, asking Canada to call for the unconditional and immediate release of 76-year-old Jimmy Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, which was previously the most prominent pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong.
I will use my time to focus on how Canada should be involved, what we have and haven’t done, and the next steps that Canada should take to reaffirm our commitment to human rights abroad and advocate for Jimmy's case.
The charges against Jimmy Lai are not a reflection of any criminal conduct on his behalf, but of how Hong Kong, under the direction of the government in Beijing, is cracking down on fundamental rights and freedoms.
Let me reiterate that the allegations against Jimmy Lai are unfounded, politically driven, and indicative of a broader pattern of silencing dissent and curtailing freedom of the press in the region.
Last week, the UN special rapporteur on torture warned that evidence from a key prosecution witness in Lai’s trial, Andy Li, was obtained through torture. Other prosecution witnesses include former Apple Daily employees, including Cheung Kim-hung, who accused Lai of “portraying a negative image of the Chinese Communist Party, with the hope of securing financial and political support from American readers.”
In January, the number of prosecution witnesses in Lai’s case dropped from 60 to 14 without explanation. This is highly unusual, and raises further concerns surrounding the fairness and politicization of Lai’s trial.
The Canadian Parliament has shown strong support for Jimmy Lai. At the start of Lai’s trial in December 2023, the House and the Senate both unanimously adopted motions for the Hong Kong authorities to release Jimmy Lai and cease prosecuting him and others charged under the national security law. While we strongly welcome these initiatives by Parliament, it is important to note that the Government of Canada has yet to publicly call for his release.
With that said, I urge the Government of Canada and its ministers to reflect the will of Parliament and call for the unconditional and immediate release of Jimmy Lai. This would align with Canada’s historic commitment to being a champion of human rights and a defender of democratic principles. The case of Jimmy Lai should be no different. It would also be in line with Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which advocates pushing back against behaviours that undermine international norms, such as arbitrary detention.
Jimmy Lai is a British citizen imprisoned in Hong Kong for exercising rights enshrined in Hong Kong’s Basic Law, the region’s mini constitution based on principles laid out in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Our allies have taken steps that Canada hasn’t. Both the American and the British governments have urged the Hong Kong authorities to release Jimmy Lai. Canada should exert diplomatic pressure on the Chinese government in lockstep with our allies, and clearly demonstrate our steadfast commitment to human rights and the rule of law in the region.
It is also important to note that Canada has not placed any sanctions on Hong Kong officials. The U.S. has sanctioned 25 officials, both from the Hong Kong government and the National People’s Congress of China, for “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong.”
I urge the Government of Canada to seriously consider using sanctions, particularly on Hong Kong chief executive John Lee, as a tool to hold the government of Hong Kong accountable for its human rights violations, including those against Jimmy Lai. We have a Magnitsky sanctions regime. It is important that we use it.
To conclude, I urge the Canadian government to swiftly join its Parliament to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Jimmy Lai, as well as all political prisoners in Hong Kong. The Canadian government should also implement sanctions on John Lee and other Hong Kong officials who are complicit in dismantling the independence of the judiciary and rule of law in Hong Kong.
Now is the time to act, before the end of Lai’s trial and a jail sentence that could mean his dying in prison.
Thank you.