Madame Vice President, arbitrary detention is an abhorrent violation of human rights and undermines the trust in institutions that keeps societies safe and open. The UK continues to call on all states to respect their international obligations and commitments in this area.

We would like to thank the Working Group for its latest report, which contains over 70 Opinions, all of which require attention.

But today, I would like to focus on the Working Group’s Opinion on Jimmy Lai. A 77-year-old British National who has been in detention in Hong Kong for over 1,600 days. And I know that his son is here with us in the room today.

Madame Vice President, the Working Group’s unequivocal Opinion is that Mr Lai’s detention is arbitrary.

The UK takes that opinion very seriously. And our position is

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