A bipartisan resolution has been put forth by 11 members of the United States Congress to designate December 8th as “Jimmy Lai Day”, in honor of media tycoon Jimmy Lai who remains imprisoned in a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) jail. Lai, who will be turning 78 years old, is recognized for his advocacy for press freedom, religious liberty, and democracy in Hong Kong. The resolution calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Jimmy Lai and all political prisoners in Hong Kong.
The resolution, drafted by Congressman John Moolenaar, Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP, and supported by a bipartisan group of legislators, praises Jimmy Lai for his courageous leadership as the founder of Apple Daily in upholding freedom in Hong Kong. It condemns the CCP and Hong Kong authorities for undermining the city’s freedoms, autonomy, and rule of law, urging the release of all Hong Kong democracy advocates imprisoned for exercising their freedom of speech.
Detailing Jimmy Lai’s life story and ordeal, the resolution highlights his journey from being born in Guangzhou on December 8, 1947, to arriving in Hong Kong as a 12-year-old stowaway, working his way up from a garment factory child laborer to founding the retail brand Giordano in 1981. After supporting the Hong Kong democracy movement following the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, he launched Apple Daily in 1995, dedicated to upholding freedom of speech in post-handover Hong Kong.
Following his arrest, the resolution recounts, “On August 10, 2020, Jimmy Lai was detained by authorities on charges of ‘fraud’ and ‘collusion with foreign forces’ under the National Security Law; on the same day, over 200 police officers raided the Apple Daily office, arresting 7 senior executives and Jimmy Lai’s two sons.”
“Since December 31, 2020, Jimmy Lai’s bail was revoked, commencing a several-year-long detention. Currently facing possible life imprisonment, he was sentenced to 14 months in prison on April 16, 2021, for ‘illegal assembly’ during the 2019 protests, and received an additional 13 months on December 13, 2021, for ‘inciting’ others to participate in the 2020 Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil. On December 10, 2022, he was sentenced to 69 months in prison for fraud.”
Jonathan Stivers, Director of the Foundation for China’s Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK), expressed support for the resolution, stating, “As of today, Jimmy Lai has spent 1,800 consecutive days in prison, most of which under solitary confinement that violates international human rights standards. Next week, on December 8th, he will celebrate his 78th birthday in prison, enduring the torment of diabetes, poor health, and medical neglect.”
Stivers added, “The CFHK Foundation appreciates Chairman Moolenaar and the Congress members for leading this resolution, sending a strong and clear message to Beijing and Hong Kong that Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners in Hong Kong must be immediately and unconditionally released. We look forward to the House of Representatives passing this resolution in the coming weeks.”
The resolution notes that Hong Kong’s autonomy compared to mainland China has been severely eroded, with its once independent political and legal institutions now operating under strict control from Beijing. Since the 2019 pro-democracy movement, almost 2,000 political prisoners have been detained by Hong Kong authorities.
It condemns the systematic actions of the CCP and the Hong Kong government, including long-term solitary confinement, forced political indoctrination, physical abuse, and medical neglect against political prisoners, constituting serious violations of international human rights standards.
This bipartisan resolution jointly presented by legislators reflects the ongoing concern of the United States Congress for the freedom and human rights situation in Hong Kong, demonstrating a united stance across party lines on China’s human rights issues.