China Increases Prison Sentence for Journalist Zhang Zhan
BEIJING – Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan has had her prison sentence extended after being convicted of “provoking trouble” for reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, press freedom groups confirmed Monday. The length of the extension was not promptly available, but follows a closed-door trial on Friday where supporters and diplomats were barred from attending.
Zhang zhan initially gained attention for her on-the-ground reporting in Wuhan during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, documenting the crisis through live streams and social media posts. Her reporting highlighted the early struggles within the city’s hospitals and contradicted official narratives that downplayed the severity of the virus.
She was first detained in May 2020 and subsequently sentenced to four years in prison in December of that year. Concerns have been consistently raised regarding her deteriorating health while in detention, with reports in January indicating she had been force-fed through a gastric tube following a hunger strike.
“Zhang Zhan should be celebrated as an ‘information hero’. Rather, she is once again being prosecuted by the Chinese regime, fighting for her survival in prison,” said Antoine Bernard, the director of advocacy at Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
her lawyer, Peng Yonghe, who testified in her defence and described her as a “true patriot,” was placed under police control during friday’s trial.
Aleksandra Bielakow, the Taiwan-based advocacy manager at RSF, stated, “Diplomats were barred from her trial, with all details concealed. her persecution must end.”
Beh Lih Yi, the Asia-Pacific director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, added, “This is the second time Zhang has faced trial on baseless charges that amount to nothing more than a blatant act of persecution for her journalism work.”
China currently holds one of the world’s largest populations of imprisoned journalists, with approximately 123 media workers estimated to be behind bars, according to the RSF World Press Freedom Index.
China’s foreign ministry could not be immediately reached for comment. It remains unclear whether Zhang Zhan had legal representation during the extended trial.
