Cruel Chinese guards step up efforts to break Aussie ‘spy’

Chinese security authorities have intensified their efforts to ‘break’ Australian writer Yang Hengjun.

Jailed Chinese-Australian author Yang Hengjun. Picture: Supplied

Chinese security authorities have intensified their efforts to “break” Australian writer Yang Hengjun, stopping messages from his family, interrogating him daily and forcing him to take drugs.

His lawyers said an Australian government consular visit last Friday revealed Dr Yang, detained in China for alleged espionage, was no longer able to receive verbal messages from his family. The increasing push to ­isolate Dr Yang appeared to be aimed at making him “feel as though his case is forsaken”, lawyer Rob Stary said.

He said consular officials had confirmed Chinese Ministry of State Security officials had begun daily interrogations, and “during those interrogations, his ankles and wrists have been shackled”.

The isolation and “unduly repetitive” questioning was believed to be part of an effort to “break the detainee into confessing to the ­allegations, which are vehemently denied”, Mr Stary said.

“There is a plain attempt to have Dr Yang be subjected to interrogation in complete isolation, cut off entirely from his loved ones and supporters,” he said.

Another of his lawyers, Sarah Condon, said Dr Yang was told by MSS officers that he was suffering high blood pressure and kidney problems, despite being in good health before he was detained after arriving in China in January.

“We understand he is being given unknown and unspecified medications, up to nine tablets daily,” Ms Condon said.

As well as being denied contact with family and friends, Dr Yang has been denied direct access to his legal team.

Despite his treatment, Ms Condon said Dr Yang “remains unbroken and continues to bluntly deny all allegations of espionage”, which have yet to be detailed by Chinese authorities.

Mr Stary said Dr Yang was “nothing more than a political prisoner”, and called on Foreign Minister Marise Payne to continue to advocate for transparency in relation to his case, and ultimately for his release.

Senator Payne has previously called for Dr Yang’s release and warned China not to torture him.

“We want to make it very clear that under no circumstances should an Australian citizen be exposed­ to any treatment of that sort,” she said.

The worsening treatment of Dr Yang comes as Australian security authorities assess an asylum claim by self-proclaimed Chinese spy Wang Liqiang, who says his life is in danger if he is made to return to his country.

Dr Yang’s former PhD ­supervisor at the University of Technology Sydney, Chongyi Feng, said his friend was now China’s “hostage”.