Name? Jimmy Lai
Westphalian identity? Hong Konger (Born in China and UK citizenship, you chose)
Age? 72
Why is he in the news? Jimmy Lai, the entrepreneur and pro-democracy media tycoon, was arrested last summer under the sweeping national security law implemented by China. Although Lai has been in jail, his progressive newspaper ‘Apple Daily’ continued to run until yesterday when it announced its closure less than a week after the police froze its accounts, raided its offices and arrested more editors.
Why do we care? Last summer, Apple Daily represented the first time the security law was used to target news organizations in Hong Kong. This summer, it’s forced closure proves how far the government’s campaign against dissent will go to press freedoms. Lai put it best in a NYT interview last year in that “I [we] believe in the media, by delivering information, you’re actually delivering freedom.”
Why should you care? Because it isn’t just major media tycoons being arrested and held in jail with no bail but everyday citizens. Yesterday, Tong Ying-kit stood trial over terrorism charges for what would be called dangerous driving while showing an independence flag. His and many other convictions should make you care 7/10.
Who else cares? Xi Jinping as the arrests and trials of Lai and Tong, not to mention the closure of Apple Daily, exhibit the strength of the national security law. With these advocates for free speech effectively silenced, Xi is essentially free to dictate the affairs of Hong Kong.
Any further comments? We have seen little reaction from the international arena over Jimmy Lai’s conviction. It seems we are becoming immune to the policing of free speech in Hong Kong and around the world. With more governments banning social media and more social media outlets banning governments, we may soon need to take a step back and examine who is meant to guarantee our freedom of speech.
