The 58-year-old Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who was detained in China on espionage charges in 2019, has been given a suspended death sentence by a court in Beijing. This means that Yang’s sentence could be changed to life imprisonment based on good behavior.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed shock at the decision and stated that the Australian government would respond strongly, including by summoning the Chinese ambassador.
Yang, a blogger and pro-democracy activist, was arrested in January 2019 and accused of endangering national security. He denies the charges, as do his friends and family. Supporters of Yang reacted with concern to the sentence, asserting that he is being punished for his criticism of human rights abuses and advocacy for universal values.
Feng Chongyi, a friend and colleague, stated that Yang’s family informed him of the sentence. Feng also mentioned that Yang had worked for the Chinese Ministry of State Security and later became a liberal after moving to Australia. Yang was tried in May 2021 with limited access to lawyers, and China has not disclosed the specific charges against him or the country he is alleged to have spied for.
