Danny Vincent

For decades Jimmy Lai was known as one of Hong Kong's most outspoken critics of Beijing. In February he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law.

He are the founders of the now defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, once Hong Kong's most read paper. In 2020 the paper was raided. Lai was arrested and paraded around the newsroom. Beijing says he was the mastermind of the pro-democracy protests, which rocked the city in 2019. Ahead of President Trump's trip to Beijing, he said he would raise Jimmy Lai's case with President Xi Jinping.

Last week more than 100 members of the US Congress wrote to the US president urging him to press for Lai's release. His son fears the 78-year-old is running out of time.

I don't know how many more opportunities there is to raise this case, because this is a 70-year-old man who could die at any time. I spoke with Jimmy Lai just hours before his detention in 2020. Fear is the most inexpensive and convenient way of ruling people and controlling people, if they can induce fear in you.

Talks between President Trump and Xi are likely to be dominated by trade, security and the Iran war. Beijing sees Lai as a criminal. His supporters say he's a symbol of eroded freedoms the city was once promised.

Do you expect many other cells to be active in Australia?

I was out at the restaurant over there and I was just serving some, I think I was taking away some dishes, but I was nearby the front and, you know, I heard these shots go off and the whole shop just like stood up and we all just ran into the back exit.

I want to be a normal kid.

I want to go to school.

They were going to upload it to social media.

Jimmy Lai has been seen as one of the most outspoken critics of the

When the national security law was introduced in 2020, Jimmy Lai was quickly arrested.

He was detained and he's been in prison ever since.

Now, the authorities accused him and have now charged him of colluding with foreigners and an act of sedition.

When it comes to colluding with foreigners, the judge went through many of Jimmy Lai's WhatsApp messages, messages with one of his colleagues where he

attempted to organise meetings with US officials in America.

Now, according to the judge, according to the ruling of the court, Jimmy Lai meeting with these officials has been part of the evidence that they've used to find him guilty of colluding with foreigners.

Well, Jimmy Lye has been reported to be in poor health.

His family members have raised many concerns.

They've said that when they've met him, his fingernails have fallen off.