In this final part of the interview, Mark Clifford and Dr Saunders discuss the erosion of judicial independence in Hong Kong, highlighting the resignation of foreign judges and the manipulation of the legal system to target political dissidents. They discuss the unjust detention of Jimmy Lai and others, such as Chen Guangcheng's friend and human rights lawyer, Gao Zisheng, emphasizing the mockery of the rule of law in the city and the failure of a rule of law model for the mainland.

Despite the bleak situation, Clifford remains hopeful about the future, noting that Hong Kong’s pro-democracy sentiment remains strong. He calls for continued international pressure, urging world leaders to advocate for the release of political prisoners like Jimmy Lai. He notes President Donald Trump has stated his desire to get Jimmy Lai released.

Mark L. Clifford is president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. A longtime Hong Kong resident, he formerly served as editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post and The Standard, and as a board director at Next Digital, the media company founded by Jimmy Lai.

Find more of his work on his website: https://www.markclifford.org/