Detained Chinese historian is not a spy, says son in latest call for his release
- Yuan Keqin, 65, worked in Japan but disappeared while visiting China in 2019 for a family funeral, then the following year was revealed to be detained
- China has not given details of the indictment or what Yuan is accused of, son says
“As a family, we can only hope that my father’s innocence will be recognised as soon as possible and that he will be released from detention safely and in good health,” said Yuan Chengji, 29, at a press conference in Tokyo on Monday.
It has been more than two years since authorities in China detained 65-year-old Yuan Keqin, a former professor of East Asian political history at the Hokkaido University of Education, for alleged spying.
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Second Canadian, Michael Kovrig, on trial behind closed doors in China on spying charges
While China has not disclosed the details of the indictment or the specific acts Yuan is accused of, according to the junior Yuan, his father has denied all charges of spying during his first meeting with a lawyer on May 9.
“I want to continue asserting my father’s innocence so that he will not be left alone in this struggle,” said the junior Yuan.
China last week rejected a request by family and friends for the senior Yuan’s release, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian telling reporters: “A person who endangers national security will, of course, be punished by law.”