Cheng Lei: Australian journalist released after three years in Chinese detention

The Australian journalist Cheng Lei – jailed for three years in China on ill-defined allegations of sharing Chinese state secrets overseas – has been freed and reunited with her family in Australia.

The prime minister said she had been returned to Australia on Wednesday afternoon.

“When I spoke to Cheng Lei I welcomed her home on behalf of all Australians,” Albanese said, describing her as a strong and resilient person.

“The government will continue to provide consular support to Cheng Lei and to her family … our focus remains on her interests and welfare and we are asking for her privacy and that of her family be respected at this time as she adjusts to what has obviously been a very difficult and traumatic period for her in her life.”

The former business anchor for the state-owned China Global Television Network (CGTN) was detained in August 2020 over national security-related accusations, specifically on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas.

Cheng was subjected to a closed trial lasting less than a day in March 2022, but the verdict was delayed several times and the Australian government consistently argued her prosecution lacked transparency.

More to come.