International Courant
Dong Yuyu, a former editor on the Guangming Day by day, was arrested in 2022 whereas having lunch with a Japanese diplomat.
A courtroom in China has sentenced journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in jail on espionage prices, in keeping with an announcement from his household, which known as it a “grave injustice.”
In its verdict on Friday, Beijing’s Second Worldwide Folks’s Court docket discovered the 62-year-old former editor of the Communist Get together’s Guangming Day by day responsible primarily based on earlier conferences with senior Japanese diplomats, his household mentioned.
The decision named the Japanese diplomats Dong met with, together with then-ambassador Hideo Tarumi and present Shanghai chief diplomat Masaru Okada, as brokers of a “spy group,” the assertion mentioned.
Police guarded the courtroom on Friday, with seven police automobiles parked close by, and requested journalists to go away the world.
The decision primarily based on “no proof declares to the world the chapter of the authorized system in China,” the household assertion mentioned.
His perception implied that each Chinese language citizen “is predicted to know that the Chinese language authorities might doubtlessly view embassies as ‘spy organizations,’” which had a chilling impact.
“Right this moment’s verdict is a grave injustice not just for Yuyu and his household, but additionally for each free-thinking Chinese language journalist and each extraordinary Chinese language who’s dedicated to pleasant relations with the world,” his household mentioned.
Beneath Chinese language legislation, somebody convicted of espionage can face three to 10 years in jail for much less severe circumstances, or harsh sentences, together with life imprisonment, for severe circumstances.
‘Unjust judgement’
Dong joined the Guangming Day by day in 1987, after graduating from Beijing College Legislation Faculty, and served as deputy editor of the commentary part.
His articles advocated reasonable reforms whereas avoiding direct criticism of President Xi Jinping.
He repeatedly met diplomats from numerous embassies and journalists.
The Japanese diplomat he met, considered one of two he had met repeatedly up to now, was additionally held for a number of hours on the time however was later launched.
The Chinese language International Ministry spokesperson mentioned on the time that the diplomat had engaged in actions “opposite to their capabilities” in China.
Press freedom advocates have known as for Dong’s launch. Greater than 700 journalists, lecturers and NGO staff have signed a web based petition for his launch.
The Nationwide Press Membership in the US mentioned the journalist, who took half within the prestigious Harvard Nieman Fellowship in 2007 and contributed to the Chinese language editions of The New York Instances and The Monetary Instances, was arrested two years in the past whereas having lunch with a Japanese diplomat. in a restaurant in Beijing.
“Chinese language authorities should reverse this unjust verdict and defend journalists’ proper to work freely and safely in China,” mentioned Beh Lih Yi, Asia program supervisor on the Committee to Shield Journalists, a New York-based media rights group.
Ann Marie Lipinski, curator of the Nieman Basis for Journalism at Harvard, known as Dong “a gifted reporter and creator whose work has lengthy been revered by colleagues.”
“There are various of us hoping for his launch and return to his household,” she mentioned.
China jails journalist for seven years on espionage prices | Press Freedom Information
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