Australian writer will not appeal suspended China death sentence

File photo : Yang Jun//Reuters

Chinese-Australian dissident Yang Jun will not appeal a suspended death sentence imposed by a Beijing court, his family said Wednesday in a statement denouncing China’s “inhumane” justice system. 

Yang was handed a suspended death sentence earlier this month after a court found him guilty of opaque “espionage” charges, which the Australian citizen has forcefully denied.

The sentence has been suspended by two years and there is a reasonable chance it could be commuted to life in prison if officials are pleased with Yang’s behaviour.

The father-of-two, whose health has deteriorated as a cyst grows on his kidney, told his family he no longer had the strength to fight the charges.

“Commencing an appeal would only delay the possibility of adequate and supervised medical care, after five years of inhumane treatment and abject medical…