The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned Chinese authorities for ordering jailed journalist Dong Yuyu to resume prison labour weeks after cancer surgery…reports Asian Lite News Desk
An international press freedom watchdog has criticised Chinese authorities for ordering jailed veteran journalist Dong Yuyu to resume prison labour weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumour, describing the treatment as “inhumane” and demanding his immediate release on humanitarian grounds.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed serious concern over the 64-year-old journalist’s deteriorating health, saying the decision to make him undertake prison work shortly after a major operation showed a disregard for his well-being.
The organisation called on Beijing to stop all prison labour demands and release Dong, who is serving a seven-year sentence following an espionage conviction.
“It is inhumane of Chinese authorities to expect 64-year-old Dong Yuyu to resume prison labor weeks after major surgery and demonstrates a blatant disregard for his life. Dong Yuyu should not even be in prison on a bogus espionage charge. Chinese authorities must halt all prison labor demands and release him on humanitarian grounds,” said CPJ Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi.
Dong, a former editor and columnist at the state-owned Guangming Daily, was arrested in 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing. He was subsequently convicted of espionage in November 2024 and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Family raises alarm over journalist’s deteriorating health
According to information shared by his family with CPJ, prison authorities ordered Dong to resume labour on October 12, just weeks after he underwent surgery in August at a prison hospital in Beijing.
His family has reported that his health has deteriorated since the operation.
The cancerous tumour was detected in May this year after Dong was admitted to hospital with symptoms including heart palpitations and weight loss, according to CPJ.
His family also told the organisation that Dong was transferred from Beijing Prison in March to Chaobai Prison in Tianjin, approximately 168 kilometres from their home in Beijing.
The case has drawn concern from other international press freedom organisations. Earlier this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the international community to increase pressure on Beijing to secure Dong’s release on medical parole.
The organisation also called for him to be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment and reunite with his family.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager of RSF Asia-Pacific, expressed concern about the journalist’s medical condition and the circumstances in which prisoners receive healthcare in China.
“We are deeply concerned for Dong Yuyu’s health. Chinese prisons are notorious for their appalling conditions, lack of independent and high-quality medical support, and disregard for the well-being of prisoners,” she said.
The latest criticism adds to international concerns over Dong’s imprisonment and access to medical care. CPJ has called for an immediate end to prison labour requirements for the journalist, reiterating its demand for his release on humanitarian grounds.
