Marise Payne slams China's 'unacceptable' treatment of Australian writer Yang Hengjun
- by Leona Burton
- in World Media
- — Dec 4, 2019
Secretary of State Marise Payne said she was "very worried" about reports by Australian officials following their last monthly consular visit to Yang, who is still in detention.
"His circumstances of detention embody elevated isolation from the surface world, with restrictions on his communications with household and mates, and the resumption of every day interrogation, together with whereas shackled", Payne stated in an emailed assertion.
SYDNEY-Australia on Monday criticized the treatment of a Chinese-born Australian writer detained by Beijing for nearly a year and called for more details on his case.
Morrison shared Payne's concern for Yang.
More news: Defiant Mark Zuckerberg defends Facebook policy to allow false adsThe legal defence of Yang, a blogger and activist in favour of democracy in China, denounced that the authorities were subjecting him to this mistreatment to coerce him to confess to charges of espionage, which is punishable by death.
"This has not led to any substantive changes in his treatment", Senator Payne said.
"Our judicial organs deal with the case in accordance with law and we fully guarantee his legitimate rights and interests", foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing in Beijing.
"We will continue to express clearly our expectations towards the Chinese authorities, both in Beijing and Canberra, including the release of Dr. Yang and the fact that he will be treated fairly and personally during his detention", she added.
More news: OPEC+ expected to deepen output cuts to 1.5 mln bpd -JPM"This is unacceptable", she said, adding that repeated requests had been made for Yang to get "basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment".
"The most recent consular access was a matter of great concern to me and the Foreign Minister and we will continue to make those representations on behalf of an Australian citizen", he said.
Australia wanted to see clear details of the case against Yang, Morrison has said, and ensure him access to lawyers and family.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported Canberra had determined that Beijing was responsible for a cyber-attack on Australia's parliament and three largest political parties, just months out from an election.
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