Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made on the implications for his policies of the press release of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled, Hong Kong SAR: UN expert warns against admission of evidence, allegedly secured through torture, in Jimmy Lai case, published on 31 January 2024; and when he last made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on the Jimmy Lai case.

We are aware of media reports and a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment alleging mistreatment of Andy Li while he was detained in mainland China. We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and are looking into this further. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. Diplomats from our Consulate-General are attending Mr Lai's court proceedings as the trial continues. The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 5 December.