A Beijing court on Friday sentenced former Chinese state media journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison on espionage charges. The 62-year-old journalist was detained in February 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in the Chinese capital.
Dong’s family condemned the verdict, saying, “Sentencing Yuyu to seven years in prison without evidence declares to the world the bankruptcy of China’s justice system.”
They added, “Today’s verdict is a grave injustice not only to Yuyu and his family but also to every freethinking Chinese journalist and every ordinary Chinese committed to friendly engagement with the world.”
According to the US National Press Club, Beijing police detained Dong during his lunch with the diplomat in February 2022 and later charged him with espionage. The family said the court identified Japanese diplomats Dong met with as agents of an espionage organization, specifically naming the Japanese embassy in Beijing. They argued this implies Chinese citizens should assume embassies could be labeled espionage entities.
The Japanese diplomat involved was briefly detained, prompting a complaint from Japan’s foreign ministry. At the time, Chinese authorities claimed the diplomat engaged in activities “inconsistent with their capacity.”
On the day of the verdict, police maintained a heavy presence at the court, and journalists were asked to leave. A US diplomat was reportedly barred from attending the hearing, which, like Dong’s closed-door July 2023 hearing, excluded public observers.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the case was handled “strictly in accordance with the law.” Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya declined to comment on the verdict but noted, “In any case, diplomatic activities conducted at our missions abroad are legitimate.”
Beh Lih Yi, Asia Program Manager at the Committee to Protect Journalists, called for Dong’s immediate release, saying, “Chinese authorities must reverse this unjust verdict and protect the right of journalists to work freely and safely. Dong Yuyu should be reunited with his family.”
Dong, a former Guangming Daily editor and Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, frequently interacted with diplomats and journalists.
Hoping for a lesser charge or dismissal, Dong’s family initially kept his detention private but learned in March 2023 that he would face trial.
Numerous journalists, academics, and NGO workers have since signed a petition demanding Dong’s release.