Dong Yuyu (Chinese: 董郁玉) is a Chinese journalist and editor for the Guangming Daily. In 2022 he was detained by the Chinese authorities and in 2023 indicted on charges of espionage.

Dong Yuyu
Born (1962-04-21) April 21, 1962 (age 62)
OccupationJournalist
Years active1987–present

Early life and education

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Dong was born in April 1962 in Fushun.[1] He graduated from Peking University law school in 1987.[2][1]

Career

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Dong began working for the Guangming Daily, a Communist Party newspaper, in 1987 after graduating from law school.[2][1] He participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and served a year of hard labor, after which he resumed work at the paper.[3][1]

In 2006 he was awarded a Nieman Fellowship.[2][3] In the period preceding his acceptance of the fellowship, he was aware he was under state surveillance, according to his family.[1] In 2010 he was a visiting fellow at Keio University and in 2014 a visiting professor at Hokkaido University, both in Japan.[2][3] At the time of his arrest he was deputy head of Guangming Daily's editorial department.[1]

Dong's writing was generally considered to advocate progressive reform in China.[4]

Arrest

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In February 2022, Dong was detained by Chinese authorities while lunching with a Japanese diplomat at the Novotel Xin Qiao hotel in downtown Beijing.[2][3][5][6] He was formally arrested six months later and in March 2023 was indicted on charges of espionage.[2] His family did not release news of his detention until April 24, 2023, as they were concerned it might negatively affect his chances of being released uncharged.[3][7]

The arrest was criticized by the National Press Club, press advocacy groups, academics, and journalists.[1][4]

Personal life

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Dong is not a member of the Communist Party.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wong, Chun Han (24 April 2023). "China Accuses Newspaper Editor of Espionage After Meeting With Diplomat". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Wang, Vivian (2023-04-24). "China Accuses a Liberal Columnist of Espionage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Prominent Chinese journalist faces espionage charges". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  4. ^ a b Davidson, Helen (2023-04-25). "Chinese journalist arrested on charges of espionage". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  5. ^ "China acusa a columnista liberal de espionaje tras almuerzo con diplomático". Periódico San Juan (in Spanish). 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  6. ^ "Family: Chinese Journalist Faces Espionage Charges". VOA. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  7. ^ "China formally charges journalist with spying, media rights group says". Hong Kong Free Press. 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2023-04-25.