The repression continues in Hong Kong, and this week the Chinese government set an example of the most important political prisoners in the area.
Publisher Jimmy Lai is back in jail after Hong Kong court of final appeal revoked his bail. Mr. Lai, a longtime advocate and critic of the Communist Party, is facing several charges for participating in the Hong Kong protests last year, and the authorities have also charged him under the new National Security Act, which effectively reduces discord. prohibit.
The maximum sentence is life imprisonment, and there is no guarantee that Chinese authorities will punish Mr. Lai will not surrender to the mainland. A lower court angered Beijing last week when it granted bail and Mr. Lai allowed himself to wait for his trial under house arrest, as long as he did not want to give interviews, post on social media or make public statements.
The prosecutor quoted section 42 of the Security Act, which states that no bail can be granted ‘unless the judge has sufficient grounds to believe that the criminal or suspect will not continue to commit acts that endanger national security. not.’ Mr. Lai poses no such threat. He bravely chose not to flee, despite a British passport, and China wants to set an example of him to stifle all criticism.
Meanwhile on the mainland, a court in Shenzhen has handed down harsh sentences to ten Hong Kongers who were arrested while fleeing to Taiwan by boat. Authorities did not allow these whistleblowers to meet with the lawyers appointed by their families, and on Wednesday the court sentenced the ten to between seven months and three years.