Bespoke pressure to free prisoner

AUSTRALIA is working behind the scenes with a “bespoke approach” to secure the release of an Australian-Chinese writer being held without charge in Beijing on suspicion of spying.

Yang Hengjun, a 53-yearold Chinese-born writer, was detained in the southern city of Guangzhou while waiting for a transfer to Shanghai in January, after flying in from New York.

China has said the city’s State Security Bureau is holding him under “coercive measures”, a euphemism for detention, while he is investigated on suspicion of “endangering state security”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Government has been advised working quietly with China on the “complex matter” is the best approach.

“The best assistance and the best support we can provide is to not engage in a public commentary on this matter and work carefully through the diplomatic channels we have,” he said yesterday.

The Prime Minister, who put pressure publicly on Thailand to release refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, says this case is different.

“All diplomatic matters require bespoke approaches. That’s how you manage those very sensitive issues and that’s what I will do,” Mr Morrison said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Labor supported the Government’s work to free Mr Yang. “It’s very concerning about the detention of this person. We support the efforts of the Government, we’ve had some briefings on it,” he said.

Mr Yang’s wife has hired two lawyers to represent him but in April they were banned from seeing him because authorities said he did not agree to their appointment.

One of the lawyers, Mo Shaoping, said the state security bureau told him Mr Yang “did not accept lawyers appointed by his family” but his request to verify this in person was rejected.

Shortly after he was detained, Mr Yang’s friends released a letter he had left with instructions to make it public if he was arrested again.

In the letter, Mr Yang urges activists to “maintain belief in China’s democratic future, and, when it doesn’t put yourself or your family at risk, to use all your means to push China’s democratic development to happen sooner”.

“If I can come out, I will continue my work. If I cannot come out or disappear again, remember my articles and let your children read them,” he wrote.

Mr Yang has been an Australian citizen since 2002 and was also reportedly abducted by Chinese Government agents in 2011.

He had been living in New York as a visiting scholar at Columbia University before leaving for Guangzhou on January 18.