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In February 2022, Dong Yuyu, a veteran journalist at Guangming Daily, was detained by police in Beijing while dining with a Japanese diplomat, which led to his eventual trial. The Japanese diplomat was also held for several hours, prompting a diplomatic complaint from Japan's foreign ministry. Despite being a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in 2007 and having previous academic roles in Japan, Dong's case gained notoriety as a significant example of the increasing repression of press freedoms in China. In March 2023, Dong's family was informed that he would indeed stand trial for espionage, a charge they described as a grave injustice. Ultimately, on a recent Friday, a court sentenced him to seven years in prison, drawing condemnation and concern from New York-based press freedom groups, which highlighted the dangers facing journalists in China and condemned the unjust treatment of Dong. Many believe this case is reflective of a broader crackdown on dissent within the country, aiming to silence voices that might challenge the official narrative or expose vulnerabilities in the government policy. This situation has raised alarm among international observers, indicating a further deterioration in the state of freedom and privacy within China's political landscape, and exemplifying the risks faced by ordinary citizens engaging with foreign nationals.