Australian writer Yang Hengjun sentenced to death by Chinese court

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A Beijing court handed Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence on Monday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong of Australia said, some five years after he was detained in China on national security charges.

Wong confirmed the suspended sentence in a statement, saying the Australian government understands that if Yang does not commit any serious crimes in the next two years it could be commuted to life imprisonment.

"This is harrowing news for Dr. Yang, his family and all who have supported him," she said.

Novelist, blogger, former Chinese diplomat and outspoken critic of the Beijing government, Yang was detained in China in January 2019. U.S. officials have said that he was held incommunicado for several months until he was formally arrested that August and was charged two months later as a spy.

His closed-door trial was scheduled for May 27, 2021, and Monday's announcement follows repeated delays, Australian officials said.
[link to news.yahoo.com (secure)]