Yang Hengjun suffers in Chinese jail after being sentenced for espionage
- Yang Hengjun was convicted in February 2024, receiving a suspended death sentence on espionage charges.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken out about Yang's courage and resilience and has been advocating for his release.
- Yang's case highlights ongoing tensions between Australia and China over alleged espionage and foreign interference.
In 2019, Yang Hengjun, a 59-year-old Australian novelist and democracy blogger, was arrested at Guangzhou airport while traveling from New York to China with his wife and her child. Following a closed trial, he was convicted of espionage and handed a suspended death sentence in February 2024, which is often converted to life imprisonment after two years. Yang has consistently denied the charges and has declined to appeal due to concerns that it would delay his medical care. His case has largely remained undisclosed, raising concerns over his health, particularly after a large cyst was discovered on one of his kidneys. In his recent letter, Yang expressed his unbearable suffering while entering his seventh year in detention, reiterating that he is deeply grateful for the support provided by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian government as they strive to secure his release. Albanese described Yang's detention as an