Andy Li sheds light on secret sanctions moves

A British human rights activist and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China had sought help from Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying before legislators from eight countries made a joint call for tougher policies against China, activist and prosecution witness Andy Li said .

Li, 33, said at Lai's national security trial yesterday that ahead of IPAC's launch in June 2020, its executive director, Luke de Pulford, had sought Lai's assistance.

Li, one of the 12 activists caught while attempting to flee to Taiwan in August 2020, said he assisted de Pulford by creating IPAC's website and helping invite Japanese lawmakers to join the alliance.

The court also learned that Li was the website's sole administrator until his arrest.

When asked about the involvement of the pro-independence advocacy group "Fight For Freedom, Stand With Hong Kong," Li, a former core member of SWHK, said that he joined IPAC as a "personal volunteer."

Li informed Pulford that then Japanese lawmaker Shiori Yamao would join IPAC and become a co-chair. The aim of IPAC was to have two co-chairs from each country in the alliance.

Li also said he had inquired as to whether IPAC would require support from Hong Kong media, to which Pulford replied, "briefing Jimmy Lai, now give you a press release."

Li said he did not know why Pulford reached out to Lai. Steps to set up IPAC were secret, and paralegal Chan Tsz-wah only knew about it after its June 5, 2020, launch.

"Most of the politicians we wanted to approach were already on the IPAC's membership list," he said.

He and Chan discussed the role Li should play in IPAC, as Pulford had rejected a suggestion for SWHK to join the alliance due to its nonpartisan stance. But SWHK later joined IPAC's central secretariat, as stated in a Twitter post on June 14, 2020.

Li and Chan discussed the possibility of remaining here after the implementation of the national security law on June 30, 2020.

Shirley Ho, a SWHK member, suggested Li go to the United States and work for Human Rights in China. However, he decided to stay.

On June 21, 2020, Pulford created a Telegram chat group to discuss IPAC-related matters. In one thread, Li revealed that a SWHK member had drafted a statement in response to the law, stating that they would "let the law pass, then frame it negatively."

His intention was to encourage Hong Kong and the international community to take a more aggressive stance against China.

When Pulford asked about the most powerful action IPAC could take on Hong Kong, Li's reply was: "Magnitsky sanction."

Magnitsky legislations refer to laws that allow governments to impose sanctions on foreign individuals who have committed human rights abuses.

Li confirmed that he suggested sanctions be imposed on individuals and organizations involved in implementing the national security law.