American Gets Life Sentence in China for Espionage
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A US-based Hong Kong permanent resident has been sentenced to life in prison in China after being convicted of spying charges.
The move comes as China intensifies its efforts to eliminate spies.
John Shing-wan Leung, 78, was arrested by the National Security Bureau in Suzhou, China, in April 2021. On Monday, two years after his arrest, he was found guilty of espionage activities in China and received a life sentence along with a fine of 500,000 yuan (US$72,000) from the Suzhou court.
Leung "was found guilty of espionage, sentenced to life imprisonment, deprived of political rights for life," a statement from the court said, adding his personal property of 500,000 yuan (around $71,800) was confiscated, CGTN reported.
No statements have been issued regarding the case by the US embassy in Beijing or the US consulate in Hong Kong and Macau. The court statement revealed Leung's Hong Kong ID and US passport number but did not disclose further information about his background.
China updated its anti-espionage legislation last month to broaden the definition of spying and prohibit the transfer of any information related to national security, including cyberattacks. Convictions of espionage that pose a threat to national security can result in prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life under the law.
