Jimmy Lai, the prominent pro-democracy activist who was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong, has said he will not appeal his conviction.
The decision marks the end of a years-long legal saga for the 78-year-old critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and opens the door to political negotiations for his release.
A member of Lai’s legal team in Hong Kong said: “We can confirm that we have clear and definitive instructions not to file an appeal against the conviction or sentence.”
Lai, a British citizen, was sentenced in February after being found guilty in December on charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Although Lai was spared the maximum sentence of life in prison, his 20-year jail term is the harshest sentence imposed for national security crimes in Hong Kong. His family has said it could mean he “will die a martyr behind bars.”
Western governments, including the United Kingdom, have described Lai’s prosecution as politically motivated and called for his immediate release.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the verdict was incompatible with international law and should be annulled.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is believed to have raised Lai’s case in his recent meeting with China’s leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Lai’s son Sebastien later said the UK did not do enough to secure his father’s release on the long-awaited trip to China.
The decision not to appeal the conviction concludes Lai’s legal process and could mark the beginning of the political process to secure his release.
Western governments have previously secured the release of citizens held by China, including Australian journalist Cheng Lei and Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were jailed following a dispute between Beijing and Ottawa over the detention of a Huawei executive.
But all of those cases were related to deteriorating bilateral relations, while Lai has been an outspoken critic of the CCP, a regime that deals harshly with dissidents.
Lai’s lawyers did not explain why he did not appeal.
A Hong Kong appeals court recently overturned separate fraud convictions against Lai, whose sentences have already been served. The numerous legal cases brought against the once-powerful media mogul were described by his supporters as “lawfare”: the use of the legal system to silence critics.
US President Donald Trump is expected to visit China between March 31 and April 2. Trump has previously said he asked Xi to “consider” releasing Lai, who previously said Trump was “the only one who can save” Hong Kong from the CCP’s increasingly tight control.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities defended Lai’s conviction and said it was not related to press freedom.
The UK Foreign Office and the Hong Kong government have been contacted for comment.
