China: Writer Yang Hengjun’s letter from jail is a powerful expression of humanity and hope in the face of repression
Image credit: Badiucao
‘Yang Hengjun’s letter from behind bars is a powerful expression of his unshakable humanity and his unyielding resolve to use his voice to call for a better world. The suspended death sentence handed down against him is a grave injustice, and PEN International continues to call for his immediate and unconditional release’, said Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
15 May 2025: A letter dated 10 January 2025 by imprisoned writer Yang Hengjun has just been made public for the first time. In the deeply moving letter, addressed to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Yang Hengjun expresses his deep appreciation of support from the Australian government and both Australian and international organisations in what he describes as the ‘hardest and darkest chapter of his life’.
Now in his sixth year of unjust detention, Yang Hengjun’s health has rapidly deteriorated. In his letter he painfully describes his ‘untold and unbearable suffering’ and calls on the Australian government to continue in its efforts to secure his return to his home in Australia so that he can receive medical care and be reunited with his family.
In defiance of the looming suspended death sentence hanging over him, Yang Hengjun’s letter is testament to his remarkable resolve and aspiration for a better world, a rare hope and determination that remains undimmed in the face of unrelenting persecution.
PEN International and PEN Centres around the world have continually campaigned for Yang Hengjun’s immediate and unconditional release. We continue to call on the Chinese government to immediately end his unjust imprisonment and to allow him to be reunited with his family in Australia.
Yang Hengjun ends his letter reflecting his unshaken hope for the future - ‘I have a dream: let peace win, let humanity gain, let love prevail, let freedom ring’.
For further information on Yang Hengjun’s case, please see our previous statement. The full letter can be found below.
Letter from Dr Yang to Prime Minister Albanese
10 January 2025, Beijing No. 2 Prison
Your Excellency, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
At this moment of seeing out the old year and bringing in the new, on the sixth anniversary of my imprisonment, I really want to show how grateful I am to you and everyone who is caring for and supporting me. I have written millions of words over my career but I can’t find the words to properly express my heartfelt gratitude and feeling.
Your Excellency, respected Prime Minister, you have repeatedly conveyed your grave concerns about my case and deteriorating health to China’s paramount leader. You have advocated for me in all ways you can, and also provided practical help to me and my family, along with spiritual support.
Her Excellency Foreign Minister Penny Wong sent me a letter which greatly encouraged me and helped me to maintain strength, resilience and courage. Members of Parliament, Party leaders, and leaders of several government ministries have all stretched out their helping hands to me and my family. Australian and international organisations, and many of my intellectual and media colleagues, have not forgotten me or allowed me to let me sink into helpless limbo.
For six years, His Excellency Australian Ambassador Scott Dewar and his predecessor, and their excellent colleagues at the Australian Embassy have persisted in their support for me. They continue to visit me and care for my welfare, and convey my family’s love and the concern of the Australian people. All of this solicitude and solace has helped me to bear what has been untold and unbearable suffering. They are not family, and yet they are more than family. How could words articulate my emotions?
I feel all of your support beside me as I stagger through the hardest and darkest chapter of my life, allowing me to immerse in the warmth of humanity. It has helped me to understand the value of words and deeds of a government of the people, by the people, for the people - to enable me to fully understand the true meaning of being an Australian citizen.
All of this renders with greater clarity than before that Australia is defined not only by its blue sky, beautiful beaches, vast lands and boundless oceans. It is also defined by strong faith, common values, and a far-reaching vision based on facts and virtue. As a young and humble nation, we’ve firmly embraced multiculturalism. We uphold and safeguard individual freedoms of thought and speech while sticking to the common sense of mankind, and the shared core values of liberty, equality, democracy, and the Rule of Law. This is the Australian dream I harbour and cherish, which extends beyond Australia’s territory over mountains and across oceans, serving as a beacon attracting and inspiring many Asian people and people around the world.
I deeply love Australia. It is my beloved children’s motherland; its nature and lifestyle live up to its principles and expectations. I cherish and defend its core values. This is something I’ve sought for in my life, it is bigger than my own life.
I ardently love China, it is the motherland in which I was born, brought up in, and made strong. A long history, a splendid culture and tolerant people, the miracle of forty years of economic development initiated by the great leader Deng Xiaoping; it has great potential and a bright future. It has never been out of mind even for a second during these past six years behind bars. I have never regretted devoting my young life to supporting and putting into practice reform policies working for the Chinese government. I have never regretted dedicating twenty years of my later life to writing twenty million words for my Chinese readers all around the world. I shall never give up contributing my humble part to serving the development of China and the benefit of the Chinese people.
Since 2012, I have had a China Dream, to promote and practice the 24 character ‘socialist core values’ under the Chinese government’s strong leadership. I also share with millions of Chinese people the dream of a strong country with prosperous people. I cherish the various and colourful Chinese dreams, Australian dreams, African dreams, and American dreams.
I have a dream. That there is no war, no bullying, no incivility. People of different colours, cultures, and nationalities love each other like sisters and brothers. I faithfully hope the world’s longest civilisations and youngest civilisations will one day sit together, to learn from each other’s good points - develop and progress together, setting an example of peaceful coexistence by seeking common ground and reserving differences. And that I should give something useful to that project.
I have a dream that one day the spirit of law and the sunshine of judicial justice penetrate every corner of every country. People should be free from fear, persecution and poverty. I genuinely expect to sit side by side with my readers one day, sharing ‘democracy-peddler’-style stories; sharing laughter, tears and dreams.
Dear Prime Minister Albanese, words are now failing me. Tears blur my vision. I can only use a silent voice to thank you and all the people who care for and love me. I know you and the Australian Government endeavour to do your utmost to bring me home for medical care and reunification with my family. I believe as long as we are together, with conviction and confidence, aspiration and determination, all dreams should come true, one day! I have a dream: let peace win, let humanity gain, let love prevail, let freedom ring.
God bless all.
Respectfully yours,
Dr Yang Hengjun
Note to Editors:
For further information please contact Ross Holder, Head of Asia-Pacific region at PEN International, email: [email protected]
For media queries, please contact Sabrina Tucci, PEN International Communications and Campaigns Manager, [email protected]