Dong Yuyu, President’s Award winner, practices journalism as responsibility to society
Dong Yuyu, a 63-year-old Chinese journalist wrongly incarcerated for espionage, believes that journalism is a responsibility given to reporters by society, his son, Dong Yifu, said Thursday at the National Press Club while accepting the Club’s President’s Award on his father’s behalf.
Dong Yifu said his father through everything he writes -- about topics including politics, economics, scandals, government, breaking news and other things that people care about that could also get him in trouble -- shows his deep care and love for Chinese society.
“Which makes the Chinese government's accusation of espionage against him all the more absurd,” Dong Yifu said. “The Chinese government knows that criminalizing speech and journalism is embarrassing. That's why they label journalists as fraudsters and traitors whenever they can.”
Club President Mike Balsamo’s presentation of the President's Award to Dong Yuyu was the highlight of the Club’s annual awards dinner in the ballroom on Aug. 27.
In addition to honoring Dong YuYu, Balsamo presented awards in 15 categories, including breaking news, political analysis, consumer journalism and diplomatic correspondence, among others.
Dong Yifu told the Wire before the event that Dong Yuyu has been locked up since February 2022 and is likely the most senior journalist behind bars in China.
Dong Yuyu has been a journalist for more than 30 years and hails from Fushun, in the northeast province of Liaoning. He studied law in undergrad and graduate school, but went straight to a newspaper and remained a journalist ever since.
He's a prolific senior editor and editorial writer who has also contributed to Chinese language publications outside China, including the Chinese language version of the New York Times.
Dong Yifu said his father is being held without evidence. His family is not allowed to see him due to the Chinese government calling the espionage charges a national security case. They are only allowed to communicate through Dong Yuyu's lawyers.
“(Dong Yuyu) was convicted without evidence,” Balsamo during his remarks. “His only crime? Doing his job as a journalist. Let's be clear: Journalism is not espionage.”
Dong Yifu feels optimistic about his father's appeal, despite his facing a seven-year sentence. This is because the appeals process is proceeding cautiously, which Dong Yifu said is unusual in China because its appeals process is usually very fast. Dong Yifu believes this is a good sign that the ruling Chinese Communist Party could reduce his father's sentence.
Dong Yuyu's incarceration has been very difficult on his family. Dong Yifu's mother is not allowed to speak with Dong Yuyu, so she handles a lot of work on the outside such as talking to lawyers and writing letters to judges.
Dong Yifu credited support from the Club, its Press Freedom Center and PFC Executive Director Bill McCarren. Their support has been really important because it provided a lot of attention to Dong Yuyu's case, which is being conducted in secret in the Chinese courts. It has made the Chinese government think twice and reconsider what they are doing, Dong Yifu said.
Dong Yuyu is persevering the best he can while incarcerated. Dong Yifu said he is concerned about his father's nutrition, but that he has a routine, his health is okay and that he has been working out a bit. He definitely has a lot of life left to live, Dong Yifu said.