Pompeo slams China's National Security Law; demands Jimmy Lai's release 'immediately'

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on December 12 slammed China for charging Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai under the “draconian” National Security Law. While calling semi-autonomous Chinese territory's new law “mockery of justice,” Pompeo called for Lai’s release. He said that the 73-year-old’s only “crime” is speaking the truth about China’s authoritarian Communist Part government. 

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Jimmy Lai, who is an advocate for democracy, was denied bail on Saturday after being charged the previous day under Hong Kong’s national security law. Lai is being charged with colluding with foreign powers, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

According to Associated Press, the pro-democracy tabloid owned by Lai, Apple Daily, said that the 73-year-old is accused of asking a foreign country, organisation or individual to impose sanctions or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China. 

Previously, Lai was reported to have been charged with fraud and then denied bail. In August, he was arrested under the new National Security Law. Lai’s charges stem from comments he reportedly made on Twitter and in interviews. Apple Daily said that his charge sheet listed several foreign politicians who followed lai on Twitter and cited his commentaries he wrote and interviews he did with foreign media. 

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Beijing’s National Security Law 

Beijing had imposed the national security law on Hong Kong earlier this year after stormy protests in 2019 that started over an extradition bill and expanded to include demands for greater democracy in the former British colony. The new law outlaw secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to intervene in HK’s affairs. It has restricted free speech in the city and democratic activists see it as a way to suppress dissent. 

Lai’s incident comes after a number of former pro-democracy lawmakers were arrested in October over demonstrations after the Nations Security Law was imposed on the city of Beijing. Several of those disqualified were sitting lawmakers, who were ejected from the parliament by Beijing overruling constitutional precedent and bypassing Hong Kong’s courts on November 11, sparking the mass resignation of the entire pro-democratic camp. 

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