Summary: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Chinese authorities to release veteran journalist Dong Yuyu, after the Beijing High Court upheld his seven-year prison sentence for espionage. The ruling, delivered without explanation, is final under China’s judicial system.
The CPJ issued a statement on Thursday condemning the decision, stressing that “speaking with diplomats is routine work for journalists, not espionage,” according to Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi. The organization urged Beijing to free Dong and allow him to reunite with his family.
Dong’s son confirmed that the court rejected his father’s appeal, leaving the 63-year-old’s conviction intact. He appealed to Japanese authorities in Washington for assistance, insisting that his father’s meetings with diplomats were legitimate journalistic activity. He also raised concerns about prison conditions, citing inadequate food and lack of sunlight.
Dong was arrested in February 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing. He was held in undisclosed detention before being convicted in November 2024 by the Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People’s Court. Neither his lawyer nor family were given access to the judgment, and the decision was not published online.
Before his detention, Dong worked as a journalist and editor at Guangming Daily, a state-run newspaper. He was known for writings advocating reform, constitutionalism, and the rule of law. Dong also held a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, underscoring his international recognition.
The CPJ announced plans to honor Dong with a 2025 International Press Freedom Award, highlighting his contributions to independent journalism. The organization noted that China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists, according to its research.
The case of Dong Yuyu underscores mounting concerns over press freedom in China, where international watchdogs warn that routine journalistic activity is increasingly criminalized under sweeping national security laws.
