Australian journalist Cheng Lei to be tried in Beijing on March 31
- Cheng Lei, who worked as a television anchor for Chinese state media, was arrested last year on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas
- Australia has said it was concerned by a ‘lack of transparency’ over the case; China’s foreign ministry has said Cheng’s rights were being fully guaranteed
An Australian journalist will face court in Beijing next Thursday on state secrets charges, after being detained for more than 19 months, sources close to the case said.
Cheng Lei, who worked as a television anchor for Chinese state media for a decade before being detained in 2020, was formally arrested a year ago on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas.
She will be tried in the Beijing No. 2 People’s Intermediate Court at 9am next Thursday, Reuters confirmed with sources who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Australia has previously said it was concerned by what it said was a “lack of transparency” over the case, and Cheng’s family have said they are convinced she is innocent.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said previously Cheng’s rights were being fully guaranteed.
She has been separated from her children, aged nine and 11, who were visiting their grandmother in Australia when she was detained. Cheng was born in China but moved with her parents to Australia as a child.