British judge helps to keep free speech hero Lai in jail

David Neuberger condemned as 'delusional' for upholding conviction against Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner

- ALEXANDER BUTLER

The son of a UK citizen imprisoned by China warned that time is running out to save his father as a British judge in Hong Kong was condemned for helping to keep him in jail.

Sebastien Lai, son of pro-democracy newspaper tycoon Jimmy Lai, said his 76-year-old father was approaching a fourth year in solitary confinement. Mr Lai has been locked up since 2020 and faces a life sentence under Beijing’s National Security Law, while also serving time for charges overseen by British judges.

British judge David Neuberger voted on Monday to uphold Mr Lai’s conviction for taking part in anti-Beijing protests alongside 1.7 million others in 2019. Mr Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison. But former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten said it was “obvious” the case Lord Neuberger upheld was an “act of vengeance” by the city-state’s government.

“It is perfectly obvious in this case that the proceedings brought against him are an act of vengeance against Mr Lai,” Lord Patten told The Independent. “I am sure he has been singled out. He is hated by the Chinese Communist Party because he represents all the things that made Hong Kong a prosperous society.”