Dong Yuyu, a 62-year-old former journalist for the Guangming Daily, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for espionage, his family confirmed. Dong, detained since 2022, was arrested while meeting a Japanese diplomat in Beijing shortly after the Winter Olympics.
A pro-reform voice and Nieman Fellow at Harvard, Dong had close ties with foreign diplomats and journalists as part of his work. Chinese authorities allege he met with “agents of an espionage organization,” a claim his family strongly denies, calling the verdict a “grave injustice.”
Rights groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, have condemned the sentence and called for Dong’s immediate release. Critics argue this case highlights growing risks for journalists in China.
Dong’s sentencing follows a secretive trial and months of detention without a verdict, drawing international criticism for undermining press freedoms.
