Australia accuses China of falling ‘short of basic standards of justice’ in Yang Hengjun spy case
- Canberra’s top diplomat said government ‘disappointed and deeply concerned’ that Chinese prosecutors were moving ahead with the case
- Yang, a Chinese-Australian academic, was detained in Guangzhou in January last year. The charges against him have been shrouded in secrecy
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Wednesday the government was “disappointed and deeply concerned” that prosecutors had decided to indict Yang despite seemingly lacking any evidence of wrongdoing.
“We regret that after a lengthy investigation period Chinese authorities have stated that he has been charged with espionage,” she said. “We have seen no evidence to support this charge.”
Payne said consular officials had made “repeated requests” for an explanation of the charges against Yang and raised concerns about his treatment and welfare.
“Since Dr Yang’s detention in 2019, he has had no family visits and only limited access to his legal representation,” she said. “This falls short of basic standards of justice and procedural fairness, and is not compatible with international norms or best practice.”