Grenville Cross, former director of public prosecutions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), criticized a statement issued by the International Bar Association's (IBA) Human Rights Institute on the Jimmy Lai case, describing it as politically driven and factually inaccurate. He cited official figures to refute claims of mass detentions under the national security law and said Lai's conviction followed a fair trial in line with common law standards. The law professor stressed that calls for Lai's immediate release were legally untenable.