Move to 'isolate' Australian in China triggers fears over interrogation
"China warns Australia to respect handling of Yang Hengjun espionage case "Australia confirms dual citizen has been detained in China" Held 7 months without a lawyer or formal charge."
By David Crowe and Anthony Galloway December 2, 2019 — 12.53am
VIDEO -1:02 Scott Morrison has voiced his concerns over the treatment of Australian man Yang Hengjun who has been detained in China and says he's raised the issues consistently.
She said the Australian citizen and pro-democracy political blogger, who has been held by China’s Ministry of State Security since January, was restricted from communicating with family and friends and subjected to "daily interrogation, including while shackled".
"This is unacceptable," Senator Payne said in a statement on Monday morning.
"We have made repeated requests to the Chinese authorities for an explanation of the charges against Dr Yang. We have also made requests for him to be afforded basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in line with international norms, including access to his lawyers and to his family, both of which continue to be denied to him."
"This has not led to any substantive changes in his treatment."
"We will continue to express out expectations in clear terms to the Chinese authorities - both in Beijing and in Canberra - including that Dr Yang be released and that, while his detection continues, he be treated fairly and humanely."
Dr Yang, a pro-democracy activist who became an Australian citizen in 2002, was detained in January and formally arrested by the Beijing State Security Bureau on August 23 on suspicion of endangering Chinese national security. There has been no transparency about the specific claims against him.
Human rights advocate and lawyer Robert Stary, who is acting for Dr Yang, said conditions in the Chinese detention centre had deteriorated to the point where Dr Yang had no family or social contact.
"It appears that Chinese officials are now attempting to close off an important conduit of information from Dr Yang to the outside world, and vice versa," Mr Stary said.
Yang Hengjun has been detained since January. AP
"Chinese security officials have already blocked all written messages, letters, books and documents from being passed to Dr Yang. Not a single letter of support has been passed on, including multiple letters each month from his immediate family."
"There is a plain attempt to have Dr Yang subjected to interrogation in complete isolation, cut off entirely from his loved ones and supporters."
In August Senator Payne criticised the "harsh" treatment of Dr Yang, Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Geng Shuang accused her of "interference" in Chinese affairs.
When Australian consular officials visited Dr Yang in Beijing in August, they learned he was in a cell with three others, with the light on at all times, had a bed and could wash every day and had access to a small outside area for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon.
Prior to being placed in criminal detention on July 17, he had been in "residential surveillance" and solitary confinement since January.
Mr Stary's law firm, Stary Norton Halphen, says in a statement to be issued on Monday that the Australian government has been told by Chinese officials that all verbal messages from Dr Yang's immediate family, as well as his wider support group, are to be blocked.
Stary Norton Halphen lawyer Sarah Condon said Dr Yang's health appeared to be in significant decline and that there were serious problems with his kidney functions.
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