Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig testified in Parliament expressing concern for the mental and physical health of detained Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and publisher Jimmy Lai, while also mentioning the “inhumane” treatment he endured during his own imprisonment in China.
Kovrig testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development on November 6 regarding Lai’s detention in Hong Kong, stating that the environment in which the Chinese Communist regime incarcerates prisoners often leads to severe harm to their physical and mental well-being.
“Lai was held in solitary confinement in a prison cell in Hong Kong – I understand that feeling,” Kovrig stated. “Imprisonment itself is a cruel form of torture, isolation and loneliness can crush your body, mind, and soul.”
Currently a think tank scholar, Kovrig was detained in China along with Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days in retaliation by the Chinese regime against Canada for the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the request of the United States.
During his testimony, Kovrig mentioned that Chinese prisons are brightly lit 24 hours a day, causing prisoners to lose their sense of time and disrupting their circadian rhythms.
He mentioned that prisoners are awakened by the 6:30 am alarm clock and are required to sit on the edge of their beds to “reflect on their crimes.” With minimal opportunities for physical activity and poor nutrition, the most difficult part is being confined in a “very small and completely enclosed environment.”
“I must emphasize that for individuals like Jimmy Lai, isolation and imprisonment can have a devastating impact on their mental, nervous system, and physical health,” Kovrig stated. “Frankly, it is a form of cruel punishment, inhumane. According to the UN ‘Istanbul Protocol,’ solitary confinement is unquestionably a form of torture.”
Seventy-seven-year-old Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily and a long-time supporter of the democracy movement, was arrested in Hong Kong in December 2020 under the pretext of endangering national security under the national security law imposed by the Chinese Communist Party. He has since been held in prolonged solitary confinement.
Kovrig expressed concerns that given Lai’s age and health condition, he faces greater health risks in prison. He mentioned that the food in Chinese (CCP) prisons “usually entirely lacks protein, mostly overcooked vegetables, rice, or bread.”
“For individuals like Jimmy Lai who are detained, particularly as time goes on, it may result in serious health effects such as muscle loss, decreased bone density, and other health issues,” he said.
On November 6, Brandon Silver, Director of Policy and Programs at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR), testified in Parliament and stated that the upcoming G7 foreign ministers meeting in the Niagara region of Canada is an “excellent opportunity” for Canada to collectively call for the release of Jimmy Lai.
“The case of Jimmy Lai is a unifying focus among this parliament, all parties, and G7 allies. We can leverage this opportunity to push back against these dictators,” he said.
In mid-October, when questioned about the Jimmy Lai case by the press, Prime Minister Trudeau called for the release of Lai and emphasized Canada’s support for the principles of press freedom.
During the parliamentary hearing on November 6, Kovrig stated that Canada should do everything possible to help secure the release of Jimmy Lai and commended Lai for his efforts in defending Canadian values.
Following the completion of the trial in August this year, no sentencing date has been set for Jimmy Lai’s case.