Sebastien Lai is a democracy activist and the son of the pro-democracy media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, unlawfully detained since 2020.Â
In 1995, Jimmy Lai began publishing Apple Daily, which was once Hong Kong’s largest newspaper until it was forced to shut down in 2021 for its criticism of the Chinese government. For his pro-democracy activism, Lai has faced death threats and assassination attempts. In 2020, Lai was arrested for attending protests in Hong Kong. Later that year, Lai was arrested again under Beijing’s draconian National Security Law which severely curtailed any criticism of the regime.Â
Under this law with a near 100% conviction rate, Lai faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. As of August of 2024, the courts rejected Lai’s final appeals and Lai remains in solitary confinement.Â
From the U.K., Sebastien Lai leads the international #FreeJimmyLai campaign and has repeatedly testified in support of his father and on the dire human rights condition in Hong Kong.
