YANG Hengjun (legal name, Yang Jun)
A writer, scholar, and political commentator with Australian citizenship, at the end of the year Yang Hengjun continued to be held under a suspended death sentence with reprieve after he was convicted of espionage. Detained since January 2019, Yang was initially held for six months at a secret location under ‘residential surveillance at a designated location’, a form of incommunicado detention during which he was reportedly tortured. In August 2019, he was formally arrested on suspicion of espionage, though no evidence was disclosed to his family or Australian consular representatives. On 5 February 2024, reports emerged that Yang had been sentenced to death with reprieve, a penalty under Chinese law that may be commuted to life imprisonment after a two-year period of ‘good behaviour’ (see Case Lists 2019-2020 and 2022-2025).
In a 10 January 2025 letter addressed to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Yang expressed deep appreciation for Albanese’s support during what he described as the ‘hardest and darkest chapter’ of his life. Yang’s health has deteriorated significantly in detention, and he urged the Australian government to secure his return so he can access medical care and reunite with his family.
During more than two years of pre-trial detention, Yang was denied family visits and granted only limited access to legal counsel and consular assistance. He was reportedly subjected to more than 300 interrogation sessions, and his request to exclude testimony allegedly obtained under torture was denied. On 27 May 2021, Yang’s closed-door trial reportedly lasted less than seven hours, with Australian consular representatives barred from attending.
Yang Hengjun, born on 18 April 1965, is a novelist, scholar, and political commentator committed to advancing human rights and democratic values in China. He is the author of the Fatal Weakness spy trilogy, reportedly banned in China but widely circulated online. Prior to his arrest, he also had a significant following on Chinese social media, where his blog posts frequently highlighted democratic values.