Health Crisis for Jailed Tycoon Jimmy Lai as Daughter Sparks Outcry

Thu Jan 01 2026 02:31:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Claire Lai, daughter of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, expresses deep concern for her father's deteriorating health in prison, citing alarming symptoms including rotting teeth and falling fingernails amidst bleak political circumstances.

Claire Lai, currently in exile, has brought attention to her father's declining health while imprisoned in Hong Kong. Jimmy Lai, 78, has been incarcerated since December 2020 under the controversial National Security Law, facing life in prison. Among the reported health issues are severe diabetes, weight loss, and dental problems. Authorities maintain that Lai is in good health, but family claims paint a different picture, urging political leaders to advocate for his release.

The daughter of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy tycoon jailed in Hong Kong, has expressed concerns about her father's deteriorating health in prison, stating that his fingernails sometimes fall off and his teeth are rotting.

Lai, 78, has been detained since December 2020 and faces life in prison. Earlier this month, he was convicted of colluding with foreign forces under the city's controversial national security law (NSL).

Hong Kong and Chinese authorities have denied that Lai has been mistreated in prison, maintaining he is in good health.

The BBC has seen a letter written by Lai's family urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to call for Lai's release when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.

His daughter Claire Lai, who is in exile in London, told the BBC that she fears she may never see him again.

Of course I worry that my father is going to be a martyr, and I don't want him to be a martyr. But I would not be here today, I would not be speaking out if I didn't think this was his best chance of reuniting with our family, she stated.

She described her father as an extremely robust and strong man when he went to prison, but said that over the last year he has lost a significant amount of weight.

He is diabetic, he has heart issues which he never had in the past. He has fingernails that turn purplish grey and sometimes fall off. He has teeth that are rotting. He has back and waist pains. Some days it's painful for him to stand. Sometimes he can't stand. And some days he can't even get out of bed, Claire added.

Lai's family has repeatedly flagged concerns regarding his health, with his son, Sebastien, earlier stating that his father's body is breaking down.

A spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong stated that Lai's lawful rights and interests have been fully protected, and he is in good health. They added that he has been provided with a safe, humane, appropriate, and healthy custodial environment in accordance with the law.

Lai, a UK citizen, is among the most prominent individuals charged under the NSL, introduced in 2020 following significant pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Beijing defends the law as essential for maintaining stability, whereas critics argue it effectively outlaws dissent.

Lai was charged with lobbying foreign governments for sanctions against Hong Kong and China, along with publishing seditious material in his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper.

Following Lai's conviction, the UK condemned it as politically motivated persecution, asserting that he had been targeted... for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression.

The UK has called for the repeal of the National Security Law and for an end to all prosecutions under it. Chinese authorities have countered that overseas attempts to influence judicial outcomes illustrate hypocritical 'double standards'.

Starmer's upcoming trip to China in late January 2026 marks the first visit by a UK Prime Minister since 2018.