The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance - EHKDA

12/02/2026

📃 European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance Deeply Concerned by the 20-Year Sentence of Jimmy Lai

Jimmy Lai, media founder and a prominent advocate for democracy and freedom of expression in Hong Kong, has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, the harshest penalty imposed to date under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law.

Mr. Lai, aged 78, was convicted of offences including “collusion with foreign forces” and publication-related charges in a landmark national security case. Given his age, the severity of the sentence may effectively amount to life imprisonment and further undermines confidence in the protection of fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

In the same proceedings, six former Apple Daily newsroom and management figures also received prison sentences. Lam Man-chung, Ryan Law and Fung Wai-kong were each sentenced to 10 years, while Cheung Kim-hung received six years and nine months, Chan Pui-man seven years, and Yeung Ching-kee seven years and three months. All had previously admitted one count of “collusion with foreign forces” under the National Security Law.
These rulings go far beyond the punishment of individuals. They reflect the ongoing criminalisation of journalism, peaceful expression, and international engagement in Hong Kong. The prosecution of media professionals for editorial and publishing activities directly undermines fundamental freedoms protected under international human rights law.

We are particularly concerned that, given Mr. Lai’s age, this sentence risks becoming a de facto life sentence. More broadly, the case illustrates a continuing pattern: independent media dismantled, journalists prosecuted, civil society disbanded, and legal safeguards weakened. The space for free expression in Hong Kong is rapidly disappearing.

The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance will continually call on the Hong Kong authorities to end politically motivated prosecutions, immediately and unconditionally free Jimmy Lai, and fully restore the rights and freedoms protected under the Basic Law and international law.

About The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance:
The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance is a coalition of organizations and individuals across Europe dedicated to supporting the Hong Kong diaspora and advocating for the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.
Organisational members:
Befria Hongkong (Sweden)
Finnish Hongkongers (Finland)
Freiheit für Hongkong (Germany)
Hong Kong Committee in Norway (Norway)
Hongkongi Maja (Estonia)
Netherlands for Hong Kong (Netherlands)
PL4HK (Poland)
Støt Hongkong (Denmark)


https://www.hongkongdiaspora.eu/statement-on-jimmy-lai-sentence

15/12/2025

📝The Verdict Against Jimmy Lai is a Verdict on Hong Kong’s Rule of Law

15 December, 2025

Jimmy Lai, media founder and a prominent advocate for democracy and freedom of expression in Hong Kong, was today found guilty on one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. He is now at risk of being sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

Reactions to the Trial of Jimmy Lai
The case against Jimmy Lai was conducted without a jury, but before a panel of national security judges handpicked by Hong Kong’s chief executive at the behest of Beijing. Jimmy Lai was denied the right to be represented by his lawyer of choice, Tim Owen KC, after a favourable ruling by the Court of Final Appeal was frustrated by an “interpretation” of the National Security Law by the Chinese legislature and subsequent legislative amendments.

Amnesty International has declared Jimmy Lai to be a prisoner of conscience.
When the trial began two years ago, The Guardian wrote in a leading editorial that this was a sham trial and characterized the proceedings as political persecution. Many advocates of freedom of expression, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, share this assessment.

Inhumane Prison Conditions
Jimmy Lai has now spent five years in solitary confinement in a small cell, without natural light, without air conditioning, and with time outside the cell limited to 50 minutes per day. The UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has stated that such conditions of imprisonment may amount to torture.

Jimmy Lai is diabetic. His daughter has reported that he has lost a significant amount of weight; he suffers from vision and hearing problems; his skin is drying out; his fingernails turn purple before falling off; and his teeth are rotting. He has not received medical supervision from anyone outside the prison system.

In a statement from August 2024, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Jimmy Lai was subjected to arbitrary detention, citing numerous violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that remains binding on Hong Kong. The authorities in Hong Kong are urged to immediately release Jimmy Lai and to accord to him compensation and other reparations in accordance with international law.

Appeal from The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance
The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance has followed with dismay the dramatic dismantling of universal human rights in Hong Kong in general, particularly as demonstrated by the case against Jimmy Lai. We urge the European Union to publicly express support for Jimmy Lai, and to criticize the authorities in Hong Kong for grossly violating international human rights law.

🔗 Full statement:
https://www.hongkongdiaspora.eu/statement-on-jimmy-lai-verdict

27/11/2025

歐港盟與港人同痛同悲
大埔宏福苑五級大火傳來噩耗，歐洲港人無不心緒沉重，與全球港人同感悲慟。

是次火災已導致數十人罹難，仍有數百人失蹤，數以千計住戶被迫流離失所。吾等心繫受波及嘅市民，尤念痛失至親嘅家庭，以及無奈家園被毁嘅居民。

儘管業主早前已承擔高昂維修費用，防火措施仍出現嚴重疏漏，最終釀成人禍。吾等現敦促有關當局盡快展開全面、公開、徹底調查，查明慘劇起因、追究𦘦事責任，以免悲劇重演。

此際港人憂戚與共，吾等定必繼續與一眾追求真相、公義嘅香港人並肩同行。

歐洲香港人聯盟
二零二五年十一月二十七日

Our Hearts are with Tai Po, Hong Kong
We are devastated by the developing news of the level-five fire at Wang F*k Court in Tai Po. Across Europe, Hongkongers share the grief felt by our community worldwide.

At this moment, the fire has claimed dozens of lives, rendered hundreds missing, and uprooted thousands losing homes. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, especially families mourning losses and those displaced.

Despite the exceedingly expensive renovation costs contributed by the apartment owners, lapses in safety precautions ended up costing so many lives. We urge the relevant authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into the cause of the fire, so as to ensure accountability and prevent similar disasters in the future.

We stand with our fellow Hongkongers back home. We all share the pain together. We, like the people in Hong Kong, are also calling for truth, justice, and accountability.

The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance
27 November, 2025

16/11/2025

This weekend, our General Secretary Amy joined the march in London, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Hong Kong community and reaffirming our shared commitment to protect diasporic groups from the growing threat of transnational repression across Europe.

Yesterday, around a thousand Hong Kongers gathered for the seventh time to oppose the proposed Chinese “super embassy” at Royal Mint Court. The march set off from the Monument to the Great Fire of London and moved through Tower Hill before reaching the rally point outside the proposed embassy site.

During the assembly, protesters heard from Hong Kong Watch co-founder Benedict Rogers, alongside activists, councillors, and representatives from the Hong Kong, Tibetan, and Ukrainian communities. Their message was clear:
Diasporic communities must be able to live without fear. The UK must reject the super embassy and take real action against transnational repression.

Our General Secretary Amy echoed this message, stressing that what is unfolding in the UK today is a warning for the EU tomorrow. If such a mega-embassy is approved in London, it risks normalising heightened surveillance, intimidation, and political pressure across Europe.

https://www.youtube.com/live/x68M0zPCFNk?si=UWsWToP4hvWbDqCm

02/10/2025

EHKDA’s Policy Roundtable in the European Parliament

On 30 September, the European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance (EHKDA), together with MEP Engin Eroglu, hosted a roundtable discussion in the European Parliament on Hong Kong’s role in Russian sanctions evasion.

Experts from StateWatch and members of the Advocacy Committee, Ray Wong and Thomas Benson from Hong Kong Watch, have shared their findings and policy recommendations with EU policymakers, journalists, researchers, and stakeholders.

A comprehensive report will follow, offering detailed data, case studies, and policy analysis that highlights how Hong Kong’s special customs status in the EU is being leveraged to enable Russian illicit trade via Hong Kong – and what Europe can do in response.

We would like to thank MEP Engin Eroglu and his team for hosting this important roundtable and all the participants for their interest and contributions.

22/09/2025

🇭🇰🇷🇺How is Hong Kong’s role shaping the landscape of Russian sanctions evasion?

Join The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance for a policy roundtable featuring presentations of new research and expert analyses. Together, we’ll debate solutions and develop actionable policy recommendations.

A full policy paper will be published after the event.

The roundtable will be hosted by Engin Eroglu MEP.

Event Details
📆 Date: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
⏰Time: 16:00–17:30 CEST
📍Venue: European Parliament (room number will be shared upon successful registration)

Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXe1ooAFm9AkC82kxFic25mHtxsqC_6SqZkG8UKrb_438E4A/viewform

Opening remarks:
Engin Eroglu MEP, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China, European Parliament

Speakers:
Thomas Benson, Senior Research and Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch; Member of the Advocacy Committee at the European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance
Darya Kuzmina, Head of the Sanctions Department at StateWatch (Kyiv)
Sofiya Maksymiv, Senior Analyst at StateWatch (Kyiv)

Moderator:
Ray Wong, Chair of the Advocacy Committee at the European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance

30/06/2025

On the fifth anniversary of the NSL, Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy party has been forcibly disbanded.

Read EHKDA's full statement on the disbandment of the League of Social Democrats:

The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance (EHKDA) expresses profound sorrow and outrage over the forced disbandment of the League of Social Democrats, Hong Kong’s last active pro-democracy political group. This development marks yet another tragic milestone in the systematic dismantling of Hong Kon...

18/06/2025

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/china-40th-human-rights-dialogue-european-union-takes-place-brussels_en China: 40th Human Rights Dialogue with the European Union takes place in Brussels | EEAS

//Concerning Hong Kong, the EU expressed its concern about the repressive use of national security legislation which continues to undermine human rights and fundamental freedoms. The EU called for the immediate and unconditional release of British citizen and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai and of barrister and human rights defender Chow Hang-tung.//

The European Union and the People’s Republic of China held the 40th session of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on 13 June. The Dialogue was preceded by a field visit to South Tyrol (Italy) on 11 June. The EU and China engaged in in-depth exchanges on recent human rights developments...

08/06/2025

The EHKDA Advocacy Committee urges action and dialogue—on Hong Kong’s deepening repression.

🔗 Read more: https://www.hongkongdiaspora.eu/eu-china-dialogue

This year marks the 50th anniversary of EU-China relationship as well as the 28th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China. Following the imposition of the National Security Law by Beijing in June 2020, Hong Kong has been transformed from one of the freest cities ...

17/02/2025

//Mr Harris also said: “I set out Ireland’s long-held concerns around the human rights situation in China, particularly around the National Security Law in Hong Kong, and the treatment of minorities in Xinjiang and elsewhere.//

//In a statement, groups representing Uyghurs – who are from the Xinjiang region – and Hongkongers living in Ireland called on Mr Martin and Mr Harris to “demand concrete actions with respect to acts of transnational repression, genocide and politically motivated imprisonment perpetrated by the People’s Republic of China [PRC]”.//

Wang Yi is in Dublin for meetings with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris

17/02/2025

🤝 We stand in solidarity against transnational repression 🇮🇪

The PRC's transnational repression is well-documented and deeply concerning. We, Irish Uyghur Cultural Association - IUCA, Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong., Hongkonger communities in Ireland issued an open letter, urging Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris to to adopt a value-based approach in discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Ti.

"Diplomatic ties and economic growth should be predicated upon a commitment to protect the security of residents in Ireland and to stand up for subjugated communities."

This is not just Ireland’s issue—it’s a challenge that demands a response from all of Europe.

📖 Read more in the news: https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/02/17/government-urged-to-raise-uyghurs-with-visiting-chinese-foreign-minister/

Uyghur and Hong Kong groups say people in Ireland should not have to ‘live in fear’

06/02/2025

4 of our members from Sweden, Germany, Norway, and Estonia—each from different generations and backgrounds recently shared their experiences joining the movement from different parts of Europe. In these interviews, they shared how they started as an individual and began working together to advocate for the Hong Kong diaspora with EHKDA.

A special thank you to the Taiwanese media 轉角國際 udn Global for shining a spotlight on our cause. To learn more about our journey, please take a look at the full interviews.

1️⃣Part I:
普通人的民主抗爭：專訪「歐洲香港人聯盟」- With Amy Siu (Freiheit für Hongkong) and Tao Chan (Befria Hongkong - Liberate Hong Kong)
https://global.udn.com/global_vision/story/8663/8528403

2️⃣Part II:
「讓人看見香港光復的希望，是我們的工作」：歐洲香港人聯盟群像
- With Iverson Ng (Estonia) and Jessica Chiu (Hong Kong Committee in Norway)
https://global.udn.com/global_vision/story/8663/8531323

歐洲香港人聯盟（The European Hong Kong Diaspora Alliance, EHKDA）經過兩年的籌備期，終於在2024年9月30日宣布成立，選擇在他們選在中共第75個國慶節前一天，繼續向著推動香港民主的工作邁進。