Krishnamoorthi Condemns Sham Conviction of Jimmy Lai, Demands Immediate House Action to Hold Chinese Communist Party Accountable for Human Rights Abuses

WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, issued the following statement in response to the sham conviction of Hong Kong pro-democracy leader and media publisher Jimmy Lai:

“The conviction of Jimmy Lai is a profound injustice and a stark indictment of the Chinese Communist Party’s sustained assault on fundamental rights in Hong Kong. Mr. Lai is being punished not for criminal conduct, but for standing on principle—for free speech, free worship, independent journalism, and the democratic rights guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which Beijing continues to brazenly violate.”

“This verdict is part of a broader campaign of repression in which the CCP has systematically hollowed out Hong Kong’s civil liberties, criminalized peaceful dissent, and weaponized the courts to enforce political obedience. As Mr. Lai’s health deteriorates in detention, his courage stands as a moral rebuke to a regime that relies on fear, coercion, and punishment to silence its critics. I urge Speaker Johnson to bring the bipartisan resolution honoring Jimmy Lai to the House floor without delay and to advance other legislation holding CCP-directed Hong Kong authorities to account for their assault on democracy and free speech.”