Urgent Call for Canadian Citizenship for Jailed Hong Kong Publisher Jimmy Lai

Immigration Minister Lena Diab is facing mounting pressure, including from two former Liberal justice ministers, to grant Canadian citizenship to jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, whose trial reaches its final stage in two weeks time. Lai, 77, is facing life imprisonment under the Beijing-imposed national security law, which human-rights analysts say is being used to curb free speech and dissent. Lai's health has been severely impacted by his four years and eight months in solitary confinement, with his lawyers raising grave concerns about the swelteringly hot prison conditions.

Key Takeaways:

• Jimmy Lai, a 77-year-old Hong Kong publisher, is facing life imprisonment under the Beijing-imposed national security law after four years and eight months in solitary confinement.
• Lai's lawyers have raised concerns about the effect of the prison conditions on his health, including the swelteringly hot summer temperatures.
• Two former Liberal justice ministers, Irwin Cotler and Allan Rock, have written to the immigration department to support an application for Lai's Canadian citizenship.
• The immigration minister has a discretionary power to grant citizenship to "alleviate... special and unusual hardship" or to "reward services of an exceptional value to Canada".
• Lai has significant investments in Canada, including hotels, restaurants, and spas in Ontario.
• A coalition of senators and MPs from all parties, led by Liberal MP Judy Sgro, has called for Lai to be granted honorary Canadian citizenship.
• The government house leader, Steven MacKinnon, blocked a motion to grant Lai honorary citizenship just before it was to be presented to the House of Commons.

Statistics:

• 77: The age of Jimmy Lai, who is facing life imprisonment.
• 4 years and 8 months: The length of time Lai has spent in solitary confinement.
• 488-521 days: The length of detention for six senior staff members of Apple Daily, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.
• 1960s: The last time the sedition charge was used in Hong Kong, under British rule.
• 5 years: The time since the sedition charge was resurrected under the national security law.

Sources:

• " Minister urged to grant Canadian citizenship to jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai" by The Globe and Mail
• Letter from Irwin Cotler to the Immigration Department
• Letter from Allan Rock to the Immigration Department
• Statement by Judy Sgro, Liberal MP
• Report by Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
• Announcement by the Hong Kong government on arrest warrants and bounties for 19 pro-democracy activists