21-2-2024 (SYDNEY) In a statement released on Wednesday, the family of Chinese-Australian dissident Yang Hengjun announced that he will not appeal the suspended death sentence handed down by a Beijing court. The family strongly condemned China’s “inhumane” justice system in their statement.
Earlier this month, Yang was found guilty of opaque “espionage” charges by the court, despite vehemently denying the allegations. He received a suspended death sentence, which will be in effect for two years. There is a reasonable chance that the sentence could be commuted to life imprisonment if officials are satisfied with Yang’s behavior during this period.
Yang, a father of two, has seen his health deteriorate as he developed a cyst on his kidney. He informed his family that he no longer has the strength to continue fighting the charges.
According to his family’s statement, “Commencing an appeal would only delay the possibility of adequate and supervised medical care, after five years of inhumane treatment and abject medical neglect.” They emphasized that Yang’s worsening physical condition prevents him from enduring further proceedings within the legal system.
Instead of pursuing an appeal, Yang’s family intends to focus on urgently securing medical relief for his “serious kidney condition.”
The unexpected suspended death sentence has had a chilling effect on Australia-China relations, which had been gradually improving after years of disputes and retaliatory trade measures.
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, expressed the country’s commitment to advocating for Yang’s interests and well-being, while also providing consular assistance. In a statement, Wong acknowledged the resilience demonstrated by Yang’s family and friends throughout this ordeal, stating, “All Australians want to see Dr Yang reunited with his loved ones.”
Yang, a Chinese-born Australian, has been detained in China since 2019, accused of espionage in a closed trial that has drawn significant criticism from human rights activists. The writer and academic, known by his pen name Yang Hengjun, previously shared accounts of being tortured at a secret detention facility and expressed concerns that forced confessions might be used against him.
