UN experts want charges against HK tycoon Lai dropped

Lai pleaded not guilty on January 2 to "sedition" and "collusion" charges in a high-profile national security trial that could see him jailed for life.

The charges against Lai -- founder of the now-shuttered popular Chinese-language tabloid Apple Daily -- revolve around the newspaper's publications, which supported pro-democracy protests and criticised Beijing's leadership.

"Jimmy Lai's arrest, detention and series of criminal proceedings over the past few years appear to be directly related to his criticism of the Chinese government and his support for democracy in Hong Kong," the UN experts said.

The statement was penned by the special rapporteurs on freedom of expression; on freedom of association; on degrading treatment or punishment; and on the independence of judges and lawyers.

Special rapporteurs are unpaid experts who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. They do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.

Their announcement came a day before China faces a regular review of its human rights record at the UN in Geneva, with a crackdown on rights in Hong Kong among the issues expected to be raised.

"We are alarmed by the multiple and serious violations of Jimmy Lai's freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and his right to a fair trial, including the denial of access to a lawyer of his own choosing and the handpicking of judges by the authorities," the experts said.

Lai's trial, which began in late 2023 after he was jailed for more than 1,100 days, is being closely watched as a barometer of Hong Kong's political freedoms and judicial independence.

His case has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community but Beijing has dismissed the criticism as interference.

A rags-to-riches figure who made his fortune selling clothes before expanding into media, Lai, 76, will be tried without a jury and has been denied his first choice of lawyer.

The British national is accused of "collusion" with foreign forces under sweeping national security legislation that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.

"We expressed our concerns about the National Security Law before it was enacted and will continue to do so, as we believe it is not in line with international legal obligations," the UN experts said.

Critics say the law has curtailed civil liberties, silenced dissent and eroded the judicial independence that once attracted foreign businesses to the city.