This analysis is spot on! And frankly, it's something that needed to be said clearly and firmly!
https://t.co/Gp1joYDuAx
The whole "humanitarian release" narrative around Jimmy Lai has always been more about political theatre than any genuine legal argument. As the article rightly points out, even in the US and UK, compassionate release in national security cases is extraordinarily rare. The threshold is sky-high — terminal illness, no risk to public safety, and meaningful completion of sentence. Lai meets none of these criteria.
Yet some Western politicians keep pushing this line as though Hong Kong should apply a lower standard than their own countries would. That's textbook double standards.
Let's be real about Lai's health situation. Diabetes, hypertension, and chronic conditions — these are manageable within Hong Kong's correctional medical system. He's been appearing in court, representing himself at length, and by all accounts remains in decent shape. The portrayal of him as some frail figure on his deathbed simply doesn't match reality.
What really frustrates me is the attempt to turn a national security case into a diplomatic bargaining chip. Lai was convicted of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces — this isn't some minor offence. Every sovereign nation in the world treats national security as non-negotiable. China is no different, nor should it be.
The more external pressure gets piled on, the more it actually validates Beijing's original concern: that foreign interference in Hong Kong's affairs is real and ongoing. These calls for release aren't helping Lai — they're proving the prosecution's point.
Hong Kong's rule of law must be applied consistently and fairly. No special treatment, no matter how loud the noise from overseas. National security is a red line, and rightly so. The court has spoken, and we should respect that.