Fri Nov 29 20:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Veteran Chinese Journalist Sentenced to Seven Years on Espionage Charges

**Beijing, November 30, 2024** – Veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu, a senior columnist at the Communist Party newspaper *Guangming Daily*, has been sentenced to seven years in prison on espionage charges, his family announced Friday. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court convicted Mr. Dong, 62, finding him guilty of knowingly acting on behalf of “espionage organizations” based on meetings with Japanese diplomats, including former ambassador Hideo Tarumi.

Mr. Dong’s arrest in February 2022, alongside a Japanese diplomat who was later released, sparked international concern. The U.S. State Department has called for his immediate and unconditional release, stating that they stand by Mr. Dong and his family. The Japanese embassy, while declining direct comment on the case, affirmed that its diplomatic activities are conducted legitimately.

The verdict has drawn sharp criticism from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which condemned the sentencing as unjust and highlighted China’s status as the world’s leading jailer of journalists. The CPJ noted that interacting with diplomats is standard practice for journalists. Dong’s family expressed shock at the court’s assertion that the Japanese embassy constituted an “espionage organization.” China’s Foreign Ministry responded by stating that the country is ruled by law.

Mr. Dong, a respected journalist whose work has appeared in the Chinese editions of *The New York Times* and *Financial Times*, held prestigious fellowships at Harvard University and Keio University. His case raises serious concerns about press freedom and the implications of diplomatic interactions for journalists in China.

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