The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today condemned the so-called “Lai Chee-ying’s overseas international legal team” for once again spreading misinformation and making smearing remarks about the inmate’s custodial arrangements and his case involving the National Security Law.

In a press statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it noticed the “international legal team” has repeatedly distorted the truth, blatantly discredited the judicial system and trials of Hong Kong, and fabricated information about the treatment provided to Lai Chee-ying during his custody.

Such behaviour is completely contrary to the professional ethics that legal practitioners should uphold, the Hong Kong SAR Government pointed out.

It explained the situation, stating that, in fact, Lai Chee-ying’s side has publicly clarified that he has never given instructions to the “international legal team” to act on his behalf, which shows that the credibility of the legal team has long been in doubt.

Meanwhile, Lai Chee-ying’s actual legal representative recently clarified that his client is receiving appropriate treatment and care in prison.

The Hong Kong SAR Government made it clear that it is shocking that the “international legal team” continued to deliberately publish false information, mislead the United Nations (UN) and abuse its mechanisms.

It also elucidated that the Correctional Services Department (CSD) is committed to ensuring that the custodial environment is secure, safe, humane, appropriate and healthy, and has put in place a mechanism to ensure that the rights of persons-in-custody (PICs) are protected.

In the same way as other PICs, the CSD adopts the above arrangements when handling matters related to inmate Lai Chee-ying, the Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised.

It further stressed that the removal of Lai Chee-ying from association with other PICs has been made at his own request and approved by the CSD after considering all the relevant factors in accordance with the law.

The unfounded remarks by “Lai Chee-ying’s international legal team” and other anti-China forces regarding Lai Chee-ying’s solitary confinement are completely fact-twisting, and are merely a despicable political manoeuvre with malicious intention to smear and attack the Hong Kong SAR Government, it pointed out.

Separately, the Hong Kong SAR Government stated that it opposes the groundless criticism and conclusion against the Hong Kong SAR by the relevant UN working group based on false and misleading accusations.

As such, it urged the working group to perform its duties in a fair and objective manner while respecting the Hong Kong SAR’s independent judicial power, in order to prevent any abuse of UN mechanisms, as well as contradiction to the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations based on the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference.

The Hong Kong SAR Government underlined that it will never tolerate and strongly deplores any form of interference by any foreign power or individual with the judicial proceedings and internal affairs of the Hong Kong SAR.