Australian journalist Cheng Lei spent almost three years imprisoned in China for breaking an embargo. Cheng, who was a business reporter for China’s state-run English-language TV station CGTN, was arrested on Aug. 13, 2020, and accused of illegally providing China’s state security secrets abroad. However, she denied these allegations. Cheng revealed in her first interview after returning home to Melbourne on Oct. 11 that she was arrested and detained after breaking a media embargo by just a few minutes. In China, this is considered a significant offense. She was called for a “crucial meeting” and was subsequently taken away and escorted to her apartment where she was arrested.
Cheng was held in a Chinese jail for two years and eleven months, starting with six months at a Residential Surveillance facility at a Designated Location (RSDL). During this time, she was detained alone in a room under 24-hour surveillance. RSDLs are prison networks where individuals are taken without a court order and subjected to interrogations and sleep deprivation. Cheng described the experience as isolating and painful. In the first five months, she read books and wrote, but in the final month, she was not allowed to do so. She coped by translating poems, conversing with her partner, and inventing a radio station in her mind. After six months, she was transferred to a separate prison with cellmates. She tried to learn different languages and built up a stash of over 200 books to keep herself occupied.
Reflecting on her experience, Cheng expressed gratitude towards the Albanese government, which was elected in 2022 and helped stabilize the relationship between Australia and China. She thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Throughout her detention, the Australian government advocated for Cheng’s release, raising her case in ministerial meetings with Chinese officials. Wong witnessed Cheng’s family reunion at the airport and described it as a privilege. Cheng’s release followed the completion of legal processes in China, and the Australian government will continue providing consular support to Cheng and her family. In her online message, Cheng expressed her joy at being back in Melbourne and thanked Australians for their support.