Episode Details

Today's guest is Mark Clifford, former editor in chief of the South China Morning Post whose recent book, The Troublemaker, chronicles the life of Jimmy Lai, a man who escaped mainland Communist China to Hong Kong as a child and went on to become a self-made billionaire. But now at age 77, Lai is a political prisoner, currently on trial in China for his unwavering criticism of the government, particularly as it relates to a pro-democracy publication he founded called Apple Daily.

Clifford and Reason's Billy Binion talked about Lai's humble beginnings; his cinematic escape to freedom; his fearless pro-democracy activism; his life in prison, where he's been held in solitary confinement for years; and the importance of safeguarding free expression around the world.

1:01—Who is Jimmy Lai?

4:50—Lai's astounding business success in Hong Kong

5:15—Lai's turn toward politics after June 4, 1989

6:06—The Lai family during the Cultural Revolution in China

10:37—Lai's gradual political awakening

18:42—Lai's newspaper and magazine promoting free speech and democracy

20:51—How the Chinese government tried to intimidate Lai

28:12—Mass protests and Chinese Communist Party crackdowns in Hong Kong

32:28—How meeting with Mike Pence, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo got Lai arrested

38:47—Lai's prison life and friendship with Natan Sharansky

48:28—Clifford's career in Asia

52:18—How Clifford got out of Hong Kong

54:18—Why people should care about Jimmy Lai

• Video editor: Ian Keyser
• Graphics: César Báez

The post Mark Clifford: A Political Prisoner Fights for Free Speech in China appeared first on Reason.com.