China deports US woman after espionage conviction

Chinese authorities have deported a U.S. woman after convicting and sentencing her for espionage, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Phan Phan-Gillis, a Houston business consultant, arrived back in the U.S. on Friday after her Tuesday sentencing by a Chinese court raised fears that she would have to serve a prison term there.

{mosads}Gillis’ husband, who has been on trying to get the authorities to overturn the charges, told the Times that his wife arrived in Los Angeles after being put on a flight in southern China.

The Chinese court sentenced Gillis to three and a half years in prison. It was not immediately clear whether she would have to serve her full sentence before being deported to the U.S.

“Many of Sandy’s friends and family members have been crying tears of joy throughout the day,” Gillis’ husband told The Times.

“Sandy was not allowed to speak with her lawyers for well over a year … China State Security used torture to force Sandy to make a false confession,” he added.

China first detained Gillis in March 2015, and did not allow her to see her attorney for 14 months.

The detention sparked international backlash, with the United Nations committee on human rights condemning the act for violating international law.