Boise City Wire

U.S. Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement regarding recent events in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has sentenced 45 pro-democracy leaders, a move that Risch described as "a travesty of justice." He expressed concern over the erosion of rule of law and autonomy in Hong Kong, stating that the ruling "puts another nail in the coffin."

Risch also commented on the trial of Jimmy Lai, criticizing his treatment by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities. "Mr. Lai’s advanced age and declining health make his solitary confinement without access to independent medical care even more abhorrent," Risch said. He called for the immediate release of both Lai and the 45 pro-democracy leaders.

The senator highlighted that these developments coincide with an international financial summit in Hong Kong attended by global CEOs. He warned against ignoring the situation, saying it "only emboldens China’s human rights abuses in Hong Kong and elsewhere." Risch urged both the U.S. government and business community to support "the dignity and fundamental freedoms of the Hong Kong people" and others persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.