US woman held in China for six months ‘for stealing state secrets’
Authorities in China have held an American girl for the last six months accused of stealing state secrets, her husband has disclosed.
Sandy Phan- Gillis’s husband Jeff Gillis said he chose to go public about her situation to the US ahead of the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The New York Times reports that she’s now been detained, mentioning attorney and her husband.
The United States government hasn’t commented. The claims are denied by her family.
Sandy Phan- a naturalised American produced in Vietnam, Gillis, was detained within a trade visit to boost Houston, the Texan state capital.
According to Save Sandy, a site campaigning for her release, she’s spent six months in so called “residential detention”, which it equates to house arrest.
Her husband says she’s now being transferred to some facility that is more secure.
Commerce visit
Ms Phan Gillis consulted for US and Chinese companies and was president of the Houston Shenzhen Sister City Organization.
Ms Phan Gillis at the North American Representative Office in ChinaImage copyrightSaveSandy.org
They were travelling for about a week when the group went through immigration control in Zhuhai, in the boundary between Guangdong and Macau March.
The group became divided, regrouping on another side – without Ms Phan Gillis.
After returning to Houston several days after, Sandy’s husband, Jeff Gillis told them that he had been advised by the US consulate she was detained, accused of stealing state secrets.
Her family deny the accusations, that they say have never been properly described.
Consular visits
Since that time, consular officials happen to be in a position to visit with Ms Phan Gillis to pass fundamental messages involving the couple, also occasionally, to check on her well-being, which her husband says is inferior.
The United States embassy in Beijing referred the BBC in Washington, that was shut during the period of enquiry and wouldn’t comment on the narrative.
There continues to be no official comment in the Chinese authorities with regards to the case.
Following a Chinese American geologist was released before this season, Ms Phan Gillis is regarded as the sole US citizen held in China accused of stealing state secrets.
