Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, who serve as the chair and co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC), called on the Biden administration to “sanction the judges and prosecutors involved in this case and other National Security Law-related cases” if officials refuse to release Lai and others imprisoned for political speech.
“His trial … is a political prosecution plain and simple and another sad example of the Hong Kong government’s increasingly repressive policies,” the Dec. 17 statement read. “Over the past four years, only authoritarian regimes like Burma and Belarus detained political prisoners at a rate higher than Hong Kong. Charges against Jimmy Lai should be dropped and he should be released with over 1,000 other political prisoners.”
The Department of State issued a statement on Sunday that called on Hong Kong authorities to “immediately release Jimmy Lai and all others imprisoned for defending their rights” but stopped short of threatening sanctions.
“We urge Beijing and Hong Kong authorities to respect press freedom in Hong Kong,” said Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the department. “Actions that stifle press freedom and restrict the free flow of information — as well as Beijing and local authorities’ changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system that reduce direct voting and preclude independent and pro-democracy party candidates from participating — have undermined Hong Kong’s democratic institutions and harmed Hong Kong’s reputation as an international business and financial hub.”
The trial has received significant attention from leaders internationally, with other Western nations signaling their support for Lai. A spokesperson for the European Union’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said the charges were brought because of Lai’s “support for free expression and democracy in Hong Kong.”
“The European Union deplores the charges brought against him and [other] journalists … and is monitoring the trial closely,” the Dec. 18 statement read. “The trial brought against him undermines confidence in the rule of law in Hong Kong and is detrimental to the city’s attractiveness and its position as an international business hub.”