'My father knew he was a target from the start but stayed to defend his people'

As pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai faces a potential life sentence in the high-stakes national security case in Hong Kong, his son Sebastien Lai has denounced the proceedings as a politically motivated "show trial" driven by a China-led crackdown on dissent politically motivated “show trial” driven by a China-led crackdown on dissent.

- NAMITA SINGH

Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, is facing charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials, all of which are crimes under Hong Kong’s controversial national security law, which was imposed by Beijing. Lai denies all the charges.

Sebastien paints a harrowing picture of his father’s ordeal – years of detention under dire conditions – and underscores his unwavering commitment to democracy, press freedom, and the people of Hong Kong in an interview with The Independent.

Condemning his father’s ongoing prosecution, Sebastien says that the 77-year-old media tycoon should never have been arrested. “The trial shouldn’t even be happening. He shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place,” he says.

Introduced in 2020, the law marked a turning point in the city’s pro-democracy movement, coming a year after grassroots-led protests against Beijing’s increasing influence erupted in 2019. Sparked by a controversial extradition bill, the protests saw hundreds of thousands march in defiance, with some demonstrators vowing to fight to the death for democracy.

Prominent figures like Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow became faces of the movement, but the crackdown that followed the protests led to mass arrests and the exile of many activists. On Tuesday, Wong was among 45 pro-democracy activists sentenced to up to 10 years in prison under the national security law.

Lai was another prominent target of Beijing’s clampdown. His newspaper, known for its critical coverage and pro-democracy stance, became a lightning rod for the Chinese government’s ire during the protests.