Bishop Curry urges Andy Burnham to help secure release of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong

Prime minister Andy Burnham has been urged by Bishop James Curry, lead bishop for freedom of religion and belief, ‘to follow the lead of his predecessors in doing everything possible to secure the release of Jimmy Lai’.

Mr Lai, a British citizen, founder of the forcibly-closed Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison under the national security laws of Hong Kong. He has so far served more than 2,000 days.

According to Reporters Without Borders, his health has deteriorated dangerously as he remains in solitary confinement.

Bishop Curry said, “Jimmy Lai’s ‘crime’ was to voice concerns, engage in peaceful protest, and publish a newspaper which was critical of oppressive new laws. He was briefly bailed and then re-arrested and denied bail in December 2020.

“He is held in solitary confinement, and his health is deteriorating rapidly. It is reported that he has no access to the sacraments.”

Around 200,000 migrants have come to the UK from Hong Kong since 2020, many of whom are Catholic.

The Catholic Church in England and Wales continues to provide pastoral support to all those from Hong Kong who seek it, said Bishop Curry.

“I ask Catholics in England and Wales to join with me in seeking the intercession of St. Maximillian Kolbe for Jimmy Lai, and in seeking the intercession of St. Alban and St. Frances Cabrini for all those who have had to leave their own country because of persecution.”

Benedict Rogers, senior director of Fortify Rights, said, “Bishop Curry’s letter to the Prime Minister is extremely welcome. I hope more Catholic bishops around the world will join Bishop Curry in speaking up for Jimmy Lai and urging their dioceses to pray for him. Jimmy Lai is a devout Catholic whose faith inspires his struggle for democracy for Hong Kong and sustains him in his appalling ordeal in prison. He is 78 years old and there are grave concerns about his seriously deteriorating poor health. The 20-year prison sentence is not only in effect a life sentence, it is in reality a death sentence – he will die in jail, unless there is intense pressure on the Chinese authorities to release him. All world leaders should raise his case, but if there are two who have a particular responsibility to do so, it is the Prime Minister because Mr Lai is a British citizen, and the Pope, because he is a Catholic. Pope Leo XIV received Mr Lai’s wife and daughter at a General Audience last year, but I hope Bishop Curry’s letter will motive him, and the Prime Minister, both to do much more to seek Mr Lai’s release.”

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