Washington D.C. – The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, Dec. 29, 2025
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK Foundation) on Monday released two open letters, signed by more than 50 U.S. and international organizations, urging President Donald Trump and key Congressional leaders to take immediate, concrete action following the guilty verdict of Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, warning that his case represents a grave escalation in Beijing’s crackdown on press freedom and political dissent.
The groups call for the release of Lai, six of his former Apple Daily executives, and other political prisoners held in Hong Kong.
On Dec. 15, 2025, a panel of three national security judges found Lai guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. The 855-page judgment cites interactions with U.S. political figures and officials — including contacts involving President Trump, members of his first administration, and members of Congress — as purported evidence of “collusion with foreign forces.” The verdict marks a decisive break with rule of law principles and fundamental protections for free expression and due process in Hong Kong. A mitigation hearing is scheduled to begin on Jan. 12, 2026, after which the court will proceed to sentencing; Lai now faces the possibility of life imprisonment.
