Australian embassy in Beijing
China on Monday said Chinese-Australian writer Yang Jun had been handed a suspended death penalty for espionage, after Australia condemned the sentencing.
Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin while briefing reporters, said a court on Monday found Yang Jun guilty of espionage, sentenced him to death with a two-year suspended execution, and confiscated all his personal property.
Wang said; “The People’s Court tried the case in strict accordance with the law, fully protected Yang Jun’s various litigation rights, respected and implemented the Australian side’s consular rights including visitation and notification, and arranged for the Australian side to observe the delivery of the case’s verdict.”
Yang, a pro-democracy blogger, is an Australian citizen born in China, who was arrested at Guangzhou airport in 2019. He was accused of spying for a country that has not been publicly identified.
In a similar development, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong revealed on Monday that Australia has appalled the court’s decision and called in China’s ambassador.
Wong said in a statement on Monday the Australian government understood the sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment after two years if the individual does not commit any serious crimes in that period.
