Aussie writer Yang Hengjun not appealing against suspended death sentence

US lawyers urged British court to block Julian Assange appeal

Yang Hengjun, the Australian pro-democracy writer detained in China, will not appeal against his suspended death sentence, his family has said.

It’s understood the decision not to take action should enable the 58-year-old father-of-two to receive urgent medical treatment.

Earlier this month, Yang received a suspended death sentence over the spying charges he has long denied.

Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun will not appeal his suspended death sentence.

The decision by a Beijing court left his family and friends stunned and was condemned by the Australian government.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said it was a “harrowing decision” for Yang, his family and supporters.

His family has now issued a statement explaining Yang’s decision not to take his case to appeal.

“First, there are no grounds to believe that the system that enabled Yang’s sustained torture and fabricated the charges against him is capable of remedying the injustice of his sentence.

“Second, commencing an appeal would only delay the possibility of adequate and supervised medical care, after five years of inhumane treatment and abject medical neglect.”

Yang was detained in January 2019 on espionage charges after arriving in Guangzhou from New York with his stepdaughter and wife.

He has consistently denied the charges.

He was tried behind closed doors two years later, but a verdict was repeatedly delayed until today.

Concerns about his health have consistently been raised during his five years in detention.

Six months ago, Yang told supporters he was suffering from a large cyst on his kidney that wasn’t being properly treated and that he feared he would die in detention.

There were also reports he had collapsed in prison.

By not appealing and being moved to the prison system, it is expected Yang is more likely to have access to medical care.