Posted on 03/17/2025 9:27:35 PM PDT by ebb tide
On March 11, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy’s son, urged for his dad’s liberation from the long arms of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to a report by the Associated Press (AP).
Speaking of the prison environment in which his father has been held captive in, the younger Lai stated that such conditions were “inhumane for anybody, any age.”
“There is a real fear that he might pass away at any time. This year will be the fifth year for him to be in prison,” the younger Lai warned.
Given the dismal conditions of his dad’s CCP jail environment, it is not unsurprising why the younger Lai recently met officials from the new US administration of Donald Trump to free his dad.
Indeed,the anti-Catholic and vindictive CCP regime has detained Lai for about five years now (as of the time of writing), even going to the extent of depriving him from receiving Our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. Speaking of the CCP’s treatment of his father in 2024, the younger Lai testified to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) back then:
“He is now 77, and, having spent nearly four years in a maximum-security prison in solitary confinement, his treatment is inhumane. For his dedication to freedom, they have taken his away. For his bravery in standing in defense of others, they have denied him human contact. For his strong faith in God, they have denied him Holy Communion.”
The Pillar reported:
“I would further add that he has repeatedly cited his Catholic faith as the force sustaining him during his imprisonment — which he has called the “pinnacle of his life” — and has been living his solitary confinement as a kind of monasticism. Yet, I’ve been told by people close to his situation, as part of his jailing, while he has been allowed to receive occasional visits from priests, they have been banned from bringing him Communion — an act of pure vindictiveness by his jailers. Indeed, from what I have been told, he has been held without access to the sacrament at least since his most recent trial began last December. So, in Jimmy Lai, we have a journalist who has been jailed for advocating for democratic freedoms (enshrined in Hong Kong’s own law), denied legal due process, access to needed medical care, and even to the sacraments of his Catholic faith. His is, at this point, a one-man human rights abuse bingo card.”
Coming out in support of Lai have been over 100 politicians from 24 countries who wrote a joint letter slamming China over Lai’s “arbitrary detention and unfair trial.” These politicians “urgently” demanded the immediate release of Lai. who has been held in solitary confinement.
Moreover, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention discovered various breaches of Lai’s freedoms and exhorted the CCP regime to release him.
“I’ll get him out. He’ll be easy to get out. But we don’t have people that even talk about it,” Trump claimed in an interview with podcast host Hugh Hewitt.
On March 12, Tatyana Eatwell, a member of Jimmy Lai’s international legal team, presented a statement on behalf of PEN International demanding Lai’s immediate release as well as for the repeal of the CCP-imposed NSL. An excerpt of Eatwell’s statement read:
“The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has found Mr Lai is arbitrarily detained and being denied his fundamental right to a fair trial. Targeted because of his exercise of his right to freedom of expression, he should never have been prosecuted and should be immediately released.International PEN thanks the Special Rapporteur for raising this case with China and Hong Kong. We call on China and Hong Kong to respect human rights, repeal its draconian national security laws and to immediately release Mr Lai in accordance with the Working Group’s Opinion, and all those arbitrarily detained for their peaceful expression.”
Likewise, Benedict Rogers, CEO of non-governmental group Hong Kong Watch, stated last year:
“A devout Catholic, Mr Lai has reportedly been denied the right to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion for the past year. Unless the authorities change that ruling, he will not receive the Eucharist today, on his birthday, or on Christmas Day – a heartbreaking thought for any Catholic.Turning 77 today, concerns are growing for Mr Lai’s health. He is reportedly denied access to independent medical care, and kept alone in his cell for over 23 hours a day, permitted just 50 minutes a day for exercise in a confined space. Apart from occasional family visits, he has little human contact or access to daylight.”
In another article on Hong Kong Watch, Rogers lambasted the CCP regime for its treatment of Lai:
“Even before the trial began, the blatant injustice of it all was clear. Mr Lai was not even allowed to be represented by his first choice of lawyer. British barrister Tim Owen KC had been appointed as Mr Lai’s counsel, and Hong Kong’s top court – the Court of Final Appeal – approved the choice. But the Hong Kong government rejected this and banned Mr Owen from taking on the case. The regime appears intent on dragging out the trial for as long as possible. On 11 June this year the prosecution closed its case, and the trial has now been adjourned for four months, to 20 November, when Mr Lai is expected to take the stand after a submission by the defence that there was no case to answer was rejected in July. Originally expected to last 80 days, the trial now is unlikely to reach a verdict before the end of this year and sentencing will take place next year. They seem determined to prolong the pain and uncertainty, and keep Mr Lai behind bars for as long as possible.”
Given the dismal conditions of his dad’s CCP jail environment, it is not unsurprising why the younger Lai recently met officials from the new US administration of Donald Trump to free his dad.
“We were incredibly grateful that President Trump said that he will help release my father. It’s given us as a family a lot of hope,” the younger Lai said at the Cato Institute think tank in Washington, in remarks cited by Voice of America (VOA).
In October 2024 leading up to the US presidential race, Trump declared he would "100%" be able to ensure Lai’s release if he emerged victorious.
“I’ll get him out. He’ll be easy to get out. But we don’t have people that even talk about it,” Trump hitherto claimed in an interview with podcast host Hugh Hewitt.
Despite the Vatican’s lackluster approach in condemning the atrocities of the genocidal CCP regime and highlighting the plight of faithful Chinese Catholics, what is heartening is that Jimmy Lai’s Catholic faith and trust in God has kept him grounded and strong.
Responding to an email from VOA asking for comments on whether the Trump administration had any concrete steps to enable Lai’s liberation, a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement:
“Lai’s lengthy trial and unjust detention are an example of how China uses vague national security laws to suppress fundamental freedoms and political discourse.”
Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, floated the notion that the American government could impose sanctions on Hong Kong to pressure for Lai’s liberation.
At first glance, it might seem that securing Lai’s release would be a relatively seamless process with the US and the Vatican working side by side to do so. However, as Joseph Cella aptly pointed out, things are not that simple. In an article for Providence, Cella wrote:
“The scenario is now complex as the United States does not have the “Holy Alliance” with the Vatican as Reagan did with Pope John Paul II. This is further illuminated by recent developments in Sino-Vatican relations, as discussed in the Wall Street Journal article, “Chairman Xi Gets a Seat at the Pope’s Table.” Today, the Vatican is too conciliatory towards Beijing at the expense of human rights advocates like Lai. The Vatican’s approach, especially considering the controversial agreement on joint Vatican-CCP bishop appointments, is a return to the failed Cold War strategy of Ostpolitik, characterized by acquiescence, negotiation, and a total lack of criticism for Communist regimes.”
Despite the Vatican’s lackluster approach in condemning the atrocities of the genocidal CCP regime and highlighting the plight of faithful Chinese Catholics, what is heartening is that Jimmy Lai’s Catholic faith and trust in God has kept him grounded and strong.
“In the end of the day the truth will come out in the kingdom of God, and that is good enough for me,” the elder Lai said to CCP-appointed judges at a court hearing, in comments cited by the New York Post.
“And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell”. (Matthew 10:28).
Looks like non-Catholic Trump cares more about the Catholic victims of dictator, Xi Jinping's Red Police state, than either Pope Francis (a fellow dictator) or his "devout Catholic", Slo Joe Biden, ever have.
Ping
Trump doing for Catholics what the Catholic leadership refuses to do. Stand up and defend the faith of it’s own members when they are being persecuted.
Long winded article...
he could have passed by now.
Donald Trump for Pope!
Jimmy Lai is still alive and his trial is scheduled to end sometime later this year.
The problem with being arrested for ‘national security’ in Hong Kong is that once arrested you have very little hope of being found not guilty. Even if you are found not guilty then the Hong Kong government will get the courts to over turn that verdict and you can be charged again and again for the same crime until the government gets the verdict they want.
I hope Trump can get him out.
You see, Lai and many others are competent non-communist non-fascist people who could govern and help China infinitely more than the Chinese Communist Oarty ever could, even if they wanted to.
People like Kai are jailed, or worse, because everyone knows they are better, the Chicoms know it the most.
Prayers for Jimmy Lai. May angels continue to protect and guard him.
He would be a huge improvement.
Trumps’ on it ,
Should be okay.
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