{"id":27110,"date":"2024-02-05T05:08:35","date_gmt":"2024-02-05T10:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=27110"},"modified":"2024-02-05T05:08:35","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T10:08:35","slug":"australian-writer-given-suspended-death-sentence-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2024\/02\/05\/australian-writer-given-suspended-death-sentence-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian writer given suspended death sentence in China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Australian writer Yang Hengjun has been given a suspended death sentence by a Chinese court, five years after he was arrested and accused of spying.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, according to Australian officials.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Dr Yang – a scholar and novelist who blogged about Chinese state affairs – denies the charges, which have not been made public.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Australian government says it is “appalled” by the outcome.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It comes after\u00a0a landmark visit to China by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese<\/a>\u00a0late last year, which was aimed at improving relations that had been deteriorating in recent years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has summoned China’s Ambassador to Australia for an explanation, and on Monday said the government would be “communicating” its response to Beijing in “the strongest terms”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“We have consistently called for basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment for Dr Yang, in accordance with international norms and China’s legal obligations,” she said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“All Australians want to see Dr Yang reunited with his family. We will not relent in our advocacy.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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