Chinese court sentences journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison on espionage charges, family says

BEIJING: A Beijing court sentenced veteran Chinese state media journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison on espionage charges on Friday (Nov 29), a family member told Reuters.

Former Guangming Daily editor and journalist Dong Yuyu (62) was detained by police while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing in February 2022 and was later charged with espionage, according to a statement from the US National Press Club.

There was a heavy police presence outside Beijing’s No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court, and at least seven police cars were parked nearby. Reuters journalists were asked to leave the area.

A US diplomat told Reuters they were barred from attending the hearing.

Dong has been awaiting the verdict in a Beijing prison since a closed court hearing in July 2023, the press club said in September.

He regularly exchanged personal views with foreign diplomats from various embassies and journalists. The Japanese diplomat he was meeting with was also detained for several hours, which led to a strong complaint from the Japanese foreign ministry.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said at the time that the diplomat had engaged in activities in China that were “incompatible with his capabilities.” The diplomat was later released.

Dong participated in the prestigious Harvard Nieman Fellowship and served as a visiting scholar and adjunct professor at Keio University and Hokkaido University in Japan, according to a family statement in April 2023.

After graduating from Peking University’s law school, he joined the Communist Party’s Guangming Daily in 1987 and was deputy editor of the commentary section.

He had written opinion pieces in Chinese media and liberal academic journals on topics ranging from legal reforms to social issues, and co-edited a book promoting the rule of law in China. His articles advocated moderate reforms while avoiding direct criticism of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The statement stated that his family initially kept the news of his arrest secret in the hope that the charges could be reduced or dropped, but was informed in March 2023 that his case would be sent to court.

Numerous press freedom non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have called for his release. An online petition for his release collected more than 700 signatures from journalists, academics and NGO workers.

“Dong Yuyu is a talented reporter and writer whose work has long been respected by colleagues at home and abroad,” said Ann Marie Lipinski, curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

“We stand with many in the hope that he will be released and returned to his family.”

Australian writer and pro-democracy blogger Yang Hengjun was given a suspended death sentence by a Beijing court in February on espionage charges. -Reuters