Yu Dongyue - Imprisonment

Imprisonment

The three men were arrested and charged with "counterrevolutionary sabotage, propaganda and incitement." Trials were soon held, and in August, 1989, they were all sentenced to long prison terms. Lu Decheng was sentenced to life in prison, Yu Dongyue to 20 years and Yu Zhijian to 16 years. These were said to be among the harshest prison sentences meted out to demonstrators arrested during the 1989 protests.

All three men were held at Lingling Prison in Dong'an county, Hunan, one of China's many "Labor Camps." During their time at this prison, news reports appeared saying that the three men had been treated brutally after making "reactionary statements." Lu Decheng was freed in 1999 after 10 years. Yu Zhijian was freed in 2000 after 11 years.

Yu Dongyue was later transferred to Chishan Prison in Yuanjiang city, Hunan, formerly known as Provincial No. 1 Prison and another of the "Labor Camps." After their release, Lu Decheng and Yu Zhijian reported that Yu Dongyue appeared injured and mentally disturbed. They repeatedly petitioned for his release on medical grounds. Reportedly, Yu Dongyue was uncooperative in the views of prison officials. There have been several reports that he was tortured and held for at least two years in solitary confinement.

In 2001 Yu Dongyue's sentence was reduced by two years, and in 2005 it was reduced by another 15 months. Scheduled for release on February 26, 2006, he was freed four days earlier. According to statements around the time of his release from his younger brother, Yu Xiyue, while in prison Yu Dongyue appeared deranged and no longer recognized members of his family or his former friends.

Yu Dongyue was not forgotten while in prison. In 2005 the Wei Jingsheng Foundation (established by Democracy Wall activist Wei Jingsheng) awarded Yu Dongyue one of its three prizes of the year for promotion of democracy in China.