Hong Kong: Statement by the Spokesperson on the verdict in the Jimmy Lai case (15 December 2025)

The EU deplores the conviction on national security grounds of British citizen and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai issued by the High Court of Hong Kong today, 15 December 2025. The charges against Jimmy Lai could carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life.

This prosecution is politically motivated and emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong since the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020. The EU reiterates its call for Jimmy Lai’s immediate and unconditional release. 

Hong Kong’s historic success as an international business hub is rooted in the rule of law. National security trials such as the one brought against Jimmy Lai further undermine confidence in Hong Kong’s legal system, a cornerstone of the Special Administrative Region’s attractiveness.

The EU recalls that Apple Daily, the independent newspaper founded by Jimmy Lai, was forced to close its operations in June 2021. A free and independent media is vital for resilient societies and ensuring government accountability. 

The EU reiterates its call on China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) to honour their international legal commitments to safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms as enshrined in the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, to which the Hong Kong SAR is party, and the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 lodged with the United Nations.