Jimmy Lai: Prison Sentence
Debate between Seema Malhotra and Clive Jones(5 days, 7 hours ago)
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Seema Malhotra
We absolutely continue to be concerned about the erosion of freedoms, and my hon. Friend will have seen that expressed in the six-monthly reports published by the Foreign Office. We continue to, and always will, stand with the people of Hong Kong. It is essential that we continue to honour historic commitments made under the legally binding Sino-British joint declaration, and it is absolutely clear that China must do the same.
Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)
As my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) said, Jimmy Lai’s conviction is a massive failure for the Prime Minister, who said that he could change outcomes. This sends a worrying signal to Hongkongers living in Wokingham and across the UK, many of whom face intimidation from China when they are simply standing up for their civil liberties. What steps are the Government taking to protect pro-democracy Hongkongers in Wokingham and across the UK, who feel themselves to be under threat from Chinese authorities in our country? These residents are very concerned, and many of them fear for their lives.
Seema Malhotra
I thank the hon. Member for his important question. It is essential that any attempt by a foreign state to harass, intimidate or harm individuals in the UK must not be tolerated. That is why we support increased training and support for law enforcement in these matters, so that they can respond with the required urgency, as well as with important intelligence sharing.
In relation to Jimmy Lai and the Prime Minister’s visit, let me also say that I disagree with Members of this House who are seeking to make this a party political matter. Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned since before this Government came into power, and we continue to work—as we should—across the House to do all we can to make sure we are not just advocating for his release, but that it remains a priority for the Government. We continue to work to have him released immediately on humanitarian grounds.