Over 1,400 days in solitary confinement. No consular access. This is the reality for British citizen Jimmy Lai, publisher and pro-democracy advocate, detained in Hong Kong since 2020 under its draconian National Security Law.
The ‘Jimmy Lai Bill’, introduced before the British Parliament last month, seeks to enshrine a right that many assume already exists: guaranteed consular assess for arbitrarily-detained British media workers. It is an important law that could change the United Kingdom’s approach to protecting its citizens abroad.
The Bill presents a vital opportunity for the UK to take moral leadership in strengthening consular rights.
While the Bill alone may not immediately compel compliance from authoritarian regimes like China, Iran, or Russia, it sends a clear message: the UK is committed to protecting its journalists and citizens abroad.
The Jimmy Lai Bill will undergo a second reading on 7 March. We will be writing to UK MPs, urging them to support the Bill.
Act now to free Jimmy Lai
