A Chinese court has sentenced China-born Australian democracy blogger Yang Hengjun to a suspended death sentence for espionage, Associated Press reports.
Yang, a former Chinese diplomat turned political commentator in Australia, was detained in 2019 and tried behind closed doors in 2021. Yang’s sentence includes a two-year reprieve, commonly commuted to life imprisonment. The details of Yang’s case have not been disclosed, and he denies working as a spy for Australia or the United States.
The Australian government, which has consistently raised concerns about his case, expressed dismay at the verdict. The Australian government vows to communicate its response strongly and advocate for Yang’s well-being, including medical care.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry asserts that Yang’s procedural rights were protected during the trial. This follows the recent release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei after more than three years in Chinese detention.
