On Conviction and imminent sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong

B100082/2026

European Parliament resolution on Conviction and imminent sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong

(2026/2573(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Hong Kong and China,

having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas on 15 December 2025, Hong Kong's High Court convicted British citizen and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, aged 78, of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces under the National Security Law and conspiracy to publish seditious publications;

whereas Lai has been detained since December 2020 and has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement; whereas his health has deteriorated significantly and reportedly adequate medical care has been denied;

whereas in November 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared Lai's detention unlawful and arbitrary; whereas UN experts stated serious due process failures marred the trial, including allegations of human torture;

whereas the PRC has systematically violated the Sino-British declaration, the "one country, two systems" principle; whereas over 250 individuals have been arrested under the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance; whereas at least 28 journalists have been prosecuted in Hong Kong since 2020;

whereas legal experts noted that 60-70% of the verdict is based on conduct occurring before the National Security Law came into force on 30 June 2020, when such conduct was lawful; whereas this retroactive application violates fundamental principles of legality;

Strongly condemns the politically motivated conviction of Jimmy Lai and reiterates its call for his immediate and unconditional release; urges Hong Kong authorities to provide immediate access to specialised medical care;

Expresses profound concern regarding Lai's prolonged detention in solitary confinement; emphasises that denial of adequate medical care constitutes cruel and inhumane treatment;

Emphasises that this case exemplifies a broader pattern of systematic violations of fundamental freedoms by Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, including against human rights defenders, journalists, ethnic and religious minorities, and foreign citizens;

Deplores the systematic destruction of press freedom in Hong Kong and the PRC including the imprisonment of journalists and writers, such as Swedish publisher Gui Minhai detained for over 10 years; calls for immediate release of all journalists and writers detained under national security and sedition charges;

Reiterates its grave concern regarding the extraterritorial reach of the National Security Law and escalating transnational repression by Chinese and Hong Kong authorities against diaspora communities in the European Union; calls on Member States to suspend extradition treaties with Hong Kong and the PRC and to review the status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices operating in Europe;

Reiterates its call on the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to uphold their international legal commitments to protect fundamental rights and freedoms as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Sino-British Joint Declaration;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, the PRC, and the HKSAR.