"China Sentences Australian Writer Yang Hengjun to Suspended Death Penalty, Sparking Outrage in Australia"

Australian writer and pro-democracy blogger Yang Hengjun has been given a suspended death sentence by a Beijing court, a verdict considered unusually harsh in an espionage-related case. The suspended death penalty in China grants a two-year reprieve before being automatically converted to life imprisonment, and is often used for crimes with serious negative social impact. The possibility of deportation or diplomatic leverage may arise after the two-year period. However, the lack of transparency in China's criminal justice system and the country's 99.9% conviction rate raise concerns about the fairness of the trial and the treatment of individuals detained on national security charges.