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Join journalist and recipient of the 2024 Press Freedom Award, Cheng Lei, as she shares the harrowing story of her wrongful imprisonment in China – and how she survived it.
In 2020, Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China's state-run English language television station when she was arrested on charges of sharing state secrets. She was detained in China for over three years under harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to her family, before finally being released.
Now, back in Australia and free to write and speak her mind, Lei recounts her story in A Memoir of Freedom, an extraordinary memoir of her arrest, trial, imprisonment – and most importantly, her survival. Written with vivid immediacy, this new book is a powerful meditation on hope, freedom and the power of the human spirit.
In conversation with James Scullin, Lei offers a complex, deeply personal account of her experience in confinement, resisting black-and-white thinking in favour of a more nuanced view. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Lei in her own words.
Presented in partnership with Asia Society Australia
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Wednesday 18 June
6.30 - 7.30pm
Tickets
$29.50
Full
$19.50
Concession
$19.50
Under 30
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Location
Accessibility
Accessible toilets available
Assistive Listening
Auslan interpreting available by-request
Companion tickets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at The Wheeler Centre, click here.
Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
Additional Notes
Cheng Lei will be signing books after the event.
The bookseller for this event is Amplify Bookstore.
Featuring
Cheng Lei
Cheng Lei is an Australian Chinese journalist who has worked in the media for over twenty years. From her start in finance to covering China during its economic rise starting in the early 2000s, even during her imprisonment ...
James Scullin
James Scullin is the Program Director at Asia Society Australia, a global organisation dedicated to deepening understanding of Asia and its role in the world. He leads the organisation’s external engagement and professional ...