Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, 73, has been remanded in custody until April next year over his charges for colluding with foreign powers under the new national security law. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom today announced its adoption of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying through the Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. The commission noted Lai has attracted the ire of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for his political activism and his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government’s human rights abuses, including religious freedom. The statement wrote that Lai has been outspoken about his Catholic faith, serving as a tireless advocate for the religious freedom of Catholic churches in China and openly expressing concern over the future of religious freedom in Hong Kong. “Communist China must immediately release Jimmy Lai along with Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and others who it has detained in Hong Kong for their advocacy of democracy, human rights, and religious freedom,” said Commissioner Johnnie Moore.

Source: The Standard December 17, 2020 07:18 UTC