Australian writer Yang Hengjun receives suspended death penalty in China

Australian writer and activist of Chinese origin Yang Hengjun was sentenced to a suspended death penalty by a court in Beijing on espionage charges, a stark result that arose out of an opaque judicial process, the Australian government said on Monday. 

“The Australian government is deeply concerned about the suspended death penalty imposed today on Australian citizen Dr. Yang Hengjun in Beijing,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, who described the decision as “extremely painful.”

Wong requested a meeting with China's Ambassador to Australia to seek an explanation, and she announced on Monday that the government would convey its response to Beijing with the utmost forcefulness.

“We have consistently urged for the application of fundamental principles of justice, procedural fairness, and humane treatment for Dr. Yang, in line with international standards and China's legal responsibilities,” she stated in a release.

The Australian government has expressed its strong disapproval of the verdict, and authorities in Sydney say the sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment after two years.

Dr. Yang, a scholar and novelist known for blogging about Chinese state affairs, had vehemently denied the charges, many of which have not been publicly disclosed.

This development follows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's significant visit to China late last year, which was centered around improving relations that had been strained in recent years.