The criminal conviction of Hong Kong publisher and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai under the region’s national security law comes as no surprise to the family of the media tycoon and Niagara-on-the-Lake hotelier.
“We’re not surprised by the outcome,” says NOTL resident Erica Lepp. “That certainly was never a surprise for us. But obviously, we’re so saddened by it.”
Lai, 78, was convicted in Hong Kong on Dec. 15 under the region’s national security law following a years-long case against him. He’s been found guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.
Critics of the law say it has been used to target pro-democracy figures and suppress press freedom.
“It’s just a reminder of, kind of, the passage of time and how long this has been going on for,” said Lepp. “There’s kind of some feeling of accumulation that’s led up to this moment.”
Lai was arrested in August 2020 under Hong Kong’s national security law. He has remained imprisoned in solitary confinement in the region. This latest conviction could see him spend the rest of his life in prison.
Lepp said concern for Lai’s health remains constant.
“We’re always worried about my uncle’s health,” she said. “He’s in such poor health from not only just being a senior citizen, but also being kept in solitary confinement.”
But Lepp said the conviction also represents something broader.
“A lot of our sadness kind of comes from this sad feeling for Hong Kong and this sadness for, kind of, what Hong Kong has lost — like officially lost, now — and what that symbolizes,” she said.
The city she remembers no longer exists, she said.
“When I think about the Hong Kong of my youth — this is very far from it,” said Lepp. “It was a very vibrant city full of, like, all the freedoms that we would expect from kind of any city.”
“Now, it’s a place where free journalism is a crime,” she said. “This verdict is kind of the last nail in the coffin for that, in my opinion.”
She said the impact on journalism is stark.
“If every journalist now is fearful of telling anything because they’re going to go to jail for the rest of their life,” she said, “what does that change in terms of, like, the outcome of what’s being reported?”
Asked what could change, Lepp expressed little optimism.
“I mean, who’s big enough to stand up to China?” she said. “To me, if, like, (Donald) Trump can’t make that change, then I’m not sure anybody can.”
Lepp said she has lived in NOTL her whole life and that her uncle first invested in the town because she and her family were there.
She said residents have shown support.
“I can’t leave the house without running into someone who asks me how my uncle’s doing,” she said. “Even people I don’t know.”
“As it relates to my uncle and his incarceration, the people in Niagara-on-the-Lake have always been very supportive,” Lepp said.
A rally in support of Jimmy Lai, organized by local Amnesty International supporters, was held Nov. 12 in NOTL.
In a Facebook post, member Lidija Biro said about 200 people attended.
Biro told The Lake Report that more than 170 signatures were collected at the rally on a letter to federal Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand calling for Lai’s release, which was sent to Ottawa.
Additional copies of the letter were made available to residents who contacted Biro after the rally, she said, bringing the total to more than 200 signatures.
Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake Member of Parliament Tony Baldinelli said Conservatives also condemn the conviction.
“We call for his immediate release,” he said in a statement that his team sent to The Lake Report.
“Jimmy Lai is a fierce defender of democracy. On behalf of the Niagara community, that I am so honoured to represent — we continue to be deeply thankful to Mr. Lai and his family for being a big part of our tourism community and investing in our beautiful Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
For those looking to help, Lepp is directing residents to Amnesty Niagara – Group 137 Facebook page to get a copy of an updated letter to the foreign affairs minister.
