The US asked China to drop the charges against Jimmy Lai and release him immediately

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Chinese authorities to drop charges against media mogul Jimmy Lai and release him immediately as his only crime has been to tell the truth. Through his Twitter account, Pompeo has described the Hong Kong National Security Law under which Lai has been convicted as a mockery of justice. In addition, he has indicated that the only crime of Jimmy Lai is to tell the truth about the authoritarianism and fear of freedom of the Chinese Communist Party, therefore "the charges must be dropped and he must be released immediately.

For his part, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, has assured that the country is deeply concerned at the prosecution of legal cases against pro-democratic figures such as Jimmy Lai" by the Hong Kong authorities. Lai has British nationality, although the authorities have specified that they cannot provide him with consular assistance because China does not recognize dual nationality. Hong Kong authorities have charged Lai on Friday with endangering China's national security and colluding with foreign forces" under the controversial national security law.

Lai has traveled numerous times to the United States, where he has met with several senior officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to express his support for pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. In addition, the United States launched a strategy of sanctions against senior Chinese officials and companies after the passage of the controversial law.

The 73 year old mogul, owner of the Next Digital media group which includes Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily was arrested in mid-August for conspiring to defraud, according to CAN. The charges have been brought at a time when activists and opponents denounce an increase in measures against them by the security forces in the Chinese Special Administrative Region.