Former prisoners and hostages urge Starmer to secure release of Jimmy Lai

Former prisoners and hostages wrongly held abroad have urged the UK prime minister to urgently secure the release of the pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai before he dies in a Hong Kong jail. The 77-year-old media mogul, who is a British citizen, has been held in solitary confinement for 1,602 days and his family fears he might not survive another summer in Hong Kong, where temperatures can reach 40C (104F). A letter to Keir Starmer signed by 22 people who were detained abroad and their family members, says he must act “before it is too late”. Gallagher said that raising Lai’s case bilaterally was not enough, the UK government had to make the Chinese understand “that actually there is a conditionality or an impact if they don’t engage”. A UK government spokesperson said Lai’s case was a priority, adding: “We continue to call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release Jimmy Lai.”