Paris: A leading international media freedom organisation has urged the United States President Donald Trump to press for the release of the founder of Hong Kong ‘s Apple Daily newspaper and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai during his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China this week.
Expressing grave concern over his continued detention, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that Lai’s health condition has significantly worsened after more than 1,950 days in detention while serving the longest-ever prison sentence under the Hong Kong National Security Law imposed by Beijing.
President Trump is scheduled to undertake a state visit to China from May 13 to May 15, marking the first visit by a sitting US president to the country in nearly a decade.
“The US must take urgent and decisive action to secure the immediate release of a man who has dedicated his life to defending democracy and press freedom. President Trump has repeatedly stated that securing Jimmy Lai’s freedom is a priority — now those words must be matched with a concrete intervention,” said Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager, RSF Asia-Pacific.
“The world already witnessed the tragic death of press freedom defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo in a Chinese prison amid insufficient international pressure. That failure must not be repeated. Jimmy Lai cannot be allowed to suffer the same fate. We call on President Trump to use his visit to China to press for Jimmy Lai’s freedom and to bring him home without delay,” she added.
According to the RSF, in February 2026, Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison — and six other Apple Daily staff members received prison sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years — amid Beijing’s escalating crackdown on the independent press in Hong Kong.
It added that since his detention in December 2020, Lai has allegedly been subjected to harsh prison conditions, particularly solitary confinement, resulting in deteriorating health and severe weight loss.
Since 2020, the RSF said the Hong Kong government has prosecuted at least 28 journalists, eight of whom are currently detained.
“Journalists in Hong Kong are systematically subjected to harassment, online and offline surveillance, doxxing and threats,” it noted.
Last week, more than 100 bipartisan members of the US Congress called on President Trump to press Xi Jinping for the release of Lai during their upcoming meeting, warning that the 78-year-old’s health is rapidly deteriorating.
(IANS)
