Official announcements from the U.S. State Department or international news agencies

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Action to Free Jimmy Lai, Mark Swidan, and Other Americans Unjustly Imprisoned in China

Sep 20, 2024, 08:17 PM

U.S. lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to take stronger actions to secure the release of Americans unjustly imprisoned in China. Among those detained are Mark Swidan, who has been wrongfully held, and Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy advocate and former media mogul in Hong Kong imprisoned since 2020 under Beijing's national security law. Lai's international legal team is pushing for a diplomatic deal for his release, citing recent successful hostage swaps. The situation has prompted calls for China to be placed on a 'No Travel' list due to the risks of arbitrary detention. Additionally, the third anniversary of the detentions of Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing was marked by a secret trial upholding their convictions, drawing condemnation for China's repression of speech and due process rights. The State Department warned in March that Hong Kong maintains a watch list to prevent specific residents from leaving the city, and 29 Americans are believed to be barred from leaving mainland China.