Claire Lai, the daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, has revealed she has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at age 30. Her father, a British citizen jailed by China, reportedly broke down in tears upon hearing the news, a rare display of emotion for the 78-year-old who has been held in solitary confinement for years.
Jimmy Lai has been in prison since December 2020, serving a 20-year sentence for charges including conspiring to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. His son has described the sentence as a "death sentence." Lai has reportedly been denied medication for diabetes, and his nails have fallen off while his teeth are rotting.
Claire Lai said that while her father has shown stoicism throughout his imprisonment, his reaction to her diagnosis was a significant emotional event. "My father, in his six years of imprisonment, he has taken everything in his stride," she told The Times. "But that was the one time he really broke down crying."
Lai, who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper known for its criticism of Beijing, was arrested shortly after China enacted its National Security Law for Hong Kong. The newspaper ceased publication in June 2021 after several senior journalists were also arrested.
Claire Lai discovered a lump on her neck after feeling unwell during a run. Initially misdiagnosed as mumps, she sought a second opinion and underwent an ultrasound and biopsy, which confirmed the aggressive cancer. She credits her father's encouragement of a sporty lifestyle for her quick diagnosis, as her body's inability to perform usual activities alerted her to something being wrong.
Due to her treatment, Claire Lai is currently unable to fly, which limits her ability to advocate for her father internationally. She has not seen him in over a year, with communication now relying on slow postal exchanges. Her family in Hong Kong relays information to her father during their weekly visits. The prison has also reportedly stopped providing the family access to Jimmy Lai's medical reports this year.
Claire Lai expressed confidence that the British prime minister would not forget about her father, a British national, and stated that securing his freedom is in both China's and the UK's interests.