27 Sep 24

States Raise Concern at UN Human Rights Council about Reprisals Towards Jimmy Lai, Sebastien Lai, and their International Legal Team

A number of states have today raised concern about the reprisals towards Jimmy Lai, his son, Sebastien Lai and their international legal team during the UN Human Rights Council, 57th session (HRC57) today in Geneva.

The reprisals were raised by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, in his annual report to the Human Rights Council on ‘Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights’, which was presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today by the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris.

The Secretary General reported that, ‘[d]uring the reporting period, the legal team’s family members reportedly received threats over email and social media, while the international legal team continued to receive death and rape threats and to suffer repeated attempts by unknown sources to hack their email and bank accounts.’

This concern was shared by a number of states in the interactive dialogue on Secretary-General’s report today in Geneva. The United Kingdom thanked the Secretary-General for the ‘tireless work to highlight continuing efforts to silence those who cooperate with the UN to defend human rights” and paid tribute “to these courageous individuals”. The UK highlighted the reprisals towards Mr Lai, Sebastien Lai and their legal team:

This time last year, we highlighted the intimidation and harassment faced by the son of Jimmy Lai, Sebastien, and his international legal team, for their engagement with this Council. We are deeply troubled that such tactics appear to have continued, including death and rape threats and repeated attempts to hack email and bank accounts as set out in this year’s report.’

Australia, New Zealand and Canada also raised concern about "reprisals against human rights defenders engaging on human rights issues in China including against Jimmy Lai's legal team and their families", while the US highlighted “increasing reprisals against human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and other civil society actors”. The US said further that the US is,

“…deeply concerned by acts of transnational repression carried out by states like the People’s Republic of China… These actions must be investigated, and states held accountable for threats, harassment, intimidation, detention, torture, violent attacks, and/or assassination of individuals outside their sovereign borders.

Speaking today, international counsel for Mr Jimmy Lai and Mr Sebastien Lai, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, said:

“We are grateful to the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand for standing up against the reprisals our clients and we have been facing for raising Jimmy Lai’s case before the United Nations. Noone should face the threat of criminal prosecution for raising human rights issues at the UN. Noone should have to endure attacks in state media, in official statements, hacking and threats of death and rape for exercising internationally protected rights.”

The international legal team for Jimmy Lai and Sebastien Lai is led by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and includes Jonathan Price, Tatyana Eatwell, Jennifer Robinson and Sarah Dobbie, all of Doughty Street Chambers, London.

A PDF version of this press release is available here.

*ENDS*