In a strong statement, the U.S. condemned the sentencing of Dong Yuyu, a well-known journalist imprisoned in China, advocating for his immediate freedom amid concerns over freedom of expression.
U.S. Government Decries Chinese Court's Sentence of Prominent Journalist Dong Yuyu
U.S. Government Decries Chinese Court's Sentence of Prominent Journalist Dong Yuyu
The U.S. State Department calls for the release of journalist Dong Yuyu, sentenced to seven years for alleged espionage.
The U.S. State Department has expressed its outrage over a Chinese court's decision to sentence prominent journalist, Dong Yuyu, to seven years in prison, urging for his immediate and unconditional release. This conviction, announced on Friday, was tied to espionage allegations, which the Chinese government has increasingly linked to engagements between its citizens and foreign nationals.
Dong, aged 62 and a former Harvard Nieman fellow, was detained in February 2022 while dining with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing. The diplomat was released after an interrogation, while Dong was subjected to a secret trial in July 2023. His sentencing marks him as the most notable journalist confined within mainland China.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized that Dong's arrest and subsequent ruling starkly illustrate the People's Republic of China's, (P.R.C.), failure to uphold its obligations under international legal standards and its own constitution. “We honor Dong’s extensive career as a journalist and editor, along with his significant role in fostering U.S.-Chinese people-to-people relations,” Miller asserted.
Echoing Miller's sentiments, R. Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to China and a former Harvard academic, characterized the sentencing as unjust, adding that such actions highlight the detrimental climate for press freedom in China. The U.S. government's strong stance reflects ongoing international concerns over human rights and freedom of expression in the region.
