Partner of detained Australian journalist Cheng Lei has called for her urgent release from a Beijing prison

Australian-Chinese journalist Cheng Lei remains in a Beijing prison awaiting a verdict in her case, which has already been delayed seven times.

The partner of imprisoned Australian journalist and TV presenter Cheng Lei says she must be released and is suffering enormous distress as she awaits the handing down of her verdict next week.

Nick Coyle has told The Australian the mother-of-two is continuing to live a nightmare not knowing when the matter will be resolved and she continues to live under highly restrictive and isolated conditions in a Beijing prison.

The 48-year-old was detained by the Chinese Ministry of State Security in August 2020 after being charged with providing state secrets to foreign organisations.

A verdict on the matter has already been delayed seven times.

“The ongoing delays and the resulting uncertainty as to when this nightmare will end is something which is causing Lei a great deal of distress,” Mr Coyle, who lives in Port Moresby, said.

“We are now coming up on 35 months in detention without a conviction and without being able to talk to her family.

“The situation remains where her only contact with the outside world is via the once per month, highly restrictive and monitored 30-minute consular visits. This is unacceptable and her rights are not being fully protected.”

Last month Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Sky News Australia that Cheng “should be released and should be allowed to come home to Australia”.

“We continue to raise those issues and other issues with China, we do so respectfully but we do so with a sense of purpose,” Mr Albanese said.

While no date has been locked in for Mr Albanese to visit China, October has remained a possible date to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first trip to the country by an Australian prime minister — Gough Whitlam, who travelled to Beijing in 1973.

Mr Coyle, 43, who was head of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce until last year, said he shared Mr Albanese’s concerns.

He said Cheng, who has two children, aged 11 and 14, who live with her mother in Melbourne, should be released to end the suffering for both her and her children. Mr Coyle is not the father of her children.

“At a time when good people from both governments are seeking to rebuild bilateral relations after years of mismanagement, Lei’s ongoing detention continues to do significant damage to the standing of China in the eyes of fair-minded Australians and of people over the world,” Mr Coyle said. “There is ample precedent in China for cases such as this to be resolved swiftly and compassionately and that is precisely what needs to happen.”

Cheng was an anchor for the Chinese government’s English TV channel, CGTN, when she was detained. The incident occurred at the time of a breakdown of relations between Australia and China in 2020.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said the Australian government remained concerned about Cheng’s detainment.

“The Australian government advocates for Ms Cheng Lei’s interests and wellbeing at every opportunity, including at the highest levels,” the spokeswoman said.

“The government remains concerned about ongoing delays in Ms Cheng Lei’s case. We continue to call for basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in accordance with international norms and for her to be reunited with her family in Australia.”

It is understood Cheng’s last monthly consular visit with Australian officials was on June 21. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised consular cases with Chinese officials including with Foreign Minister Qin Gang earlier this year and tweeted her support for Cheng in May after she had been detained for 1000 days.

“Despite being separated from her family for so long, she has shown great resilience and courage,” Senator Wong tweeted.

“All Australians want to see her reunited with her children.”

Originally published as Partner of detained Australian journalist Cheng Lei has called for her urgent release from a Beijing prison