SW News: Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong-based Catholic entrepreneur, and liberty advocate who is now in prison on trumped-up charges, will receive the prestigious Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty from the American libertarian think tank Cato Institute on May 18.

The Cato Institute honors Lai's courage and tenacity in fighting for democracy, economic freedom, and free speech in the face of persecution and incarceration with this award. Every two years, a deserving individual or group receives the Milton Friedman Prize for their extraordinary contributions to the development of human freedom.

The Cato Institute's chief executive officer, Peter Goettler, said, "We are honored and humbled to present Jimmy Lai with Cato's highest award." He praised Lai's determination to give up his freedom in order to resist China's harsh system and serve as an example for millions.

The honor will be presented at the National Building Museum's gala dinner in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Tong Yi, a human rights activist, will give the prize to Lai's son Sebastian, and William McGurn, a member of the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board and a personal friend of Lai, will offer the keynote presentation.

As the Chinese Communist Party consolidates its dominance in Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai has emerged as a powerful icon of the resistance movement. In December 2022, Lai, a proponent of democracy and vocal critic of the Chinese government, was sentenced to five years in jail for lease breaches. Officers from China's national security, an attorney, and the court reportedly colluded on the fraud allegation. The present national security case, whose trial is planned for September 2023, might result in a life sentence if he is found guilty.