Beijing: A court in China handed Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence on Monday, threatening a recent rebound in bilateral ties that followed several years of strained relations between Beijing and Canberra. The sentence handed down five years after Yang was detained in China and three years after his closed-door trial on espionage charges shocked his family and supporters. The Chinese court did not immediately announce the sentence. In China, suspended sentences are generally commuted to life sentences after a certain length of time.
Australia calls Yang's sentence "harrowing news"
Meanwhile, reacting to the recent court order, Australia said it was appalled at China’s suspended death sentence for the writer. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a statement, said it was “harrowing news for Dr Yang, his family and all who have supported him.” Australia had said it was troubled by repeated delays in Yang's case, and had advocated for his well-being, including access to medical treatment, "at the highest levels". Wong said Australia “will be communicating our response in the strongest terms” and will continue to press for Dr Yang’s interests and wellbeing, including appropriate medical care.
Who is Yang Hengjun?
Yang, a pro-democracy blogger, is an Australian citizen born in China who was working in New York before. He was arrested when he arrived in Guangzhou from New York with his wife and teenage stepdaughter. Yang was a diplomat and state security agent before moving to the private sector in Hong Kong and later to Australia. He became an Australian citizen in 2002. China does not recognize dual nationalities. In Australia, he became known as a writer of spy novels, blogger and political commentator.
He had been accused of spying for a country China has not publicly identified and the details of the case against him have not been made public. He was initially held under a form of detention known as “residential surveillance at a designated location,” during which he was denied access to his family and lawyers. Yang was later moved to a Beijing detention centre.
In a letter to his sons in August last year, Yang said he hadn’t experienced direct sunlight in more than four years. He told his family he feared he would die in detention after being diagnosed with a kidney cyst, prompting supporters to demand his release for medical treatment.
"Serious case of injustice"
Sydney-based scholar Feng Chongyi said a court on Monday delivered a suspended death sentence that would convert to life imprisonment after two years. It was a "serious case of injustice", he said, adding that Yang had denied the charges. "He is punished by the Chinese government for his criticism of human rights abuses in China and his advocacy for universal values such as human rights, democracy and rule of law," he said.
In October last year, Australian journalist Cheng Lei was freed after more than three years in detention in China for breaking an embargo with a television broadcast on a state-run TV network. The plights of Yang and Cheng had frequently been on the agendas of high-level meetings between the countries in recent years.
(With inputs from agencies)
