"There is that idea that we always thought China would liberalise economically, get freer and freer,” says Lai. “But I think Dad realised very early on, and he said in an interview, that wishful thinking doesn’t work. You’ve got to put the work in. And that’s what he did.”
The 29-year-old was only recently married, but is spending much of his time flying around the world advocating for his father’s freedom.
Days earlier, his father, Jimmy Lai, the prominent media mogul and democracy activist, went on trial in Hong Kong. Lai senior is accused of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the 2020 national security law, and conspiring to publish seditious material, under a colonial-era sedition law. He faces up to life in prison for the more serious charges.
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Days earlier, his father, Jimmy Lai, the prominent media mogul and democracy activist, went on trial in Hong Kong.
The prosecution, which began under heavy security on Monday, has been widely condemned, and Lai’s son is in no doubt that this week was merely the start of a “show trial”.
He draws no hope from recent cases – like the government’s attempt to ban the song Glory to Hong Kong – in which the courts have drawn a line against the crackdown on freedoms.
“It’s a nice thought that there are still people fighting back within the legal system but as long as China can go and say ‘we’re not going to let a UK barrister work on a national security case’, or ‘actually we’re going to put bounties on people’, there’s nothing you can do,” he says, referring to a hard fought battle by the government to block Lai’s chosen barrister – the UK-based Timothy Owen – from representing him, and the bounties announced for 13 activists in exile around the world.
Just days before the trial began Sebastien Lai met with the UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, who subsequently issued one of his government’s strongest statements yet on the jailed activist.
Security minister Chris Tang said in November the trial would allow the public to see how “bad” Lai’s alleged offences are.
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