Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I want to raise Ireland's relationship with Hong Kong and, in particular, the continued crackdown by the Chinese communist party not just of journalists, politicians, pro-democracy activists and students but anybody who seeks to question it in any way in the special autonomous region of Hong Kong.

In recent years, because of the introduction of the national security law, we have seen increased crackdowns against any of those who dare to question Beijing's authority. We have seen the use of mass trials and the denial of due process. It is fair to say that there is no belief that many of those who come before the courts now in Hong Kong will receive a fair trial.

On 10 August 2020, Jimmy Lai was arrested for the first time. He was a businessman. He tells his own story. He came from a relatively humble and poor background and became a very successful businessman. He ultimately set up and founded the popular newspaper there, Apple Daily, as well as supporting the pro-democracy movement within Hong Kong. He has now been detained, effectively, for 1,000 days. His trial is due to start on 18 December. The United States Government, the European Parliament and UN human rights experts have all called for Jimmy Lai's unconditional release. Recently, ten Catholic bishops and archbishops from around the world, including the Bishop of Raphoe, raised the question of Jimmy Lai's continued detention without trial. I believe it is time for the Government to make a statement that we too believe that Jimmy Lai should be released unconditionally. We should support, as we have always done, the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. His son, Sebastian, came to Leinster House not so long ago and his story was very powerful. He spoke about the personal impact that it has had on him and on his family seeing his father jailed. He is determined to continue to raise this case.

We know that Jimmy Lai is not the only one. Students are also affected. Only recently a student who during the 2019 pro-democracy marches was shot by police has been sentenced to 47 months imprisonment for rioting. My concern is with the national security law, which is obviously being targeted against Hong Kong's citizens. Recently a student, who is based in Japan, returned home to Hong Kong and was jailed for two months for sedition. The reason is that between 2018 and 2023 she posted 18 pro-democracy social media posts, of which only two were posted in Hong Kong. Our concern about the national security law is that it is extraterritorial. We must bear in mind that we have a significant number of students in particular from Hong Kong based in Ireland and we must have concern for them.

I hope the Minister of State will set out in the strongest possible terms our concern about the lack of respect for human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong and that he will join with so many others in calling for the unconditional release of Jimmy Lai.