The fight to free Jimmy Lai

Pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai faces life in prison in Hong Kong, but his son Sebastien and renowned human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson are leading the fight to set him free.
After escaping mainland China in the bottom of a fishing boat at the age of 12, Jimmy Lai went on to become one of the most influential people in Hong Kong. But now the founder of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy newspaper is facing the possibility of life in prison under China’s repressive national security law. On this episode of Follow the Money, Sebastien Lai and Jennifer Robinson, legal counsel to Julian Assange, join Ebony Bennett to discuss the fight to free Mr Lai and the global threats to freedom of the press.
This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 2 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.
Guest: Sebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai // @SupportJimmyLai
Guest: Jennifer Robinson, legal counsel to Jimmy Lai and Julian Assange // @suigenerisjen
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
Our crisis of integrity looms in the Pacific
“An Albanese Labor government will restore Australia’s climate leadership, and listen and act on Pacific island warnings of the existential threat of climate change.” Despite a clear election campaign commitment to listen to Pacific Island nations and act on climate change, the Australian government continues to enable and encourage new and expanded fossil fuel projects. When it
A world on fire
From threatening to annex Greenland to blaming California Democrats for the state’s deadly wildfires, the Trump circus is back in town – and he’s not even president yet.
The Gas Man Cometh
The Wrap with Amy Remeikis One of the problems with hope is that it’s often left to fend for itself. People might work to maintain their hope that things will get better, but hope without action is essentially just delusion. When hopes are dashed, the flip side is usually despair. Which makes sense – you