Veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu sentenced to seven years in prison for ‘espionage’

A Beijing tribunal has sentenced erstwhile Guangming Daily journalist Dong Yuyu to 7 years successful prison connected espionage charges, his household confirmed connected Friday.

Dong, 62, was detained successful February 2022 portion eating with a Japanese diplomat.

Press freedom groups condemned his condemnation arsenic “baseless and profoundly unjust”.

"Yuyu is being persecuted for the independency helium has demonstrated during a beingness spent arsenic a journalist," his household said successful a connection quoted by NPR.

They called Dong’s sentencing a “grave injustice”, not lone to him and his household but to the broader assemblage of “freethinking” Chinese citizens and journalists.

"Sentencing Yuyu to 7 years successful situation connected nary grounds declares to the satellite the bankruptcy of the justness strategy successful China," the household said successful a connection to Reuters.

According to tribunal records, the Japanese diplomat Dong was recovered eating with had been identified arsenic a subordinate of an "espionage organisation”.

A spokesperson for the Chinese overseas ministry said the diplomat had been progressive successful activities "inconsistent with their capacity" portion successful the country, the Strait Times reported. The diplomat was subsequently released.

Dong’s household warned that his condemnation would acceptable a chilling precedent arsenic Chinese citizens could present beryllium accused of espionage for maintaining planetary ties.

The proceedings was held down closed doors successful July 2023 and journalists were barred by constabulary from entering the tribunal connected the time of his sentencing. An American diplomat attempting to observe the proceedings was besides denied entry.

Dong’s lawyers and household were allowed to be the sentencing judgement which was pronounced successful court. They were not fixed the written order, however, NPR reported.

Dong’s lawsuit has drawn planetary criticism. Beh Lih Yi, Asia programme manager for the Committee to Protect Journalists, called for contiguous action. “Chinese authorities indispensable reverse this unjust verdict, and support the close of journalists to enactment freely and safely successful China. Dong Yuyu should beryllium reunited with his household immediately.”

Dong, erstwhile Nieman Fellow astatine Harvard University and visiting student astatine Japan’s Keio and Hokkaido universities, spent decades successful journalism.

He joined Guangming Daily successful 1987 and roseate to go the lawman exertion of its commentary section, wherever helium wrote astir ineligible reforms and societal issues.

While advocating for mean changes, helium avoided nonstop disapproval of president Xi Jinping.

His household initially kept his detention private, hoping for leniency, but went nationalist aft learning successful March 2023 that helium would look trial. More than 700 journalists, academics and NGO workers person since signed a petition for his release.

Ann Marie Lipinski, curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism, expressed admiration for his contributions, stating: "Dong Yuyu is simply a talented newsman and writer whose enactment has agelong been respected by colleagues. We basal with galore successful hoping for his merchandise and instrumentality to his family."

The Washington-based advocacy radical National Press Club called Dong “the epitome of people-to-people exchanges China has fostered for 30 years”.

Dong’s lawsuit has drawn comparisons to different caller convictions connected espionage charges successful China. Australian writer Yang Hengjun received a suspended decease condemnation connected akin charges earlier this year.