China Increases Prison Sentence โคfor Journalistโ Zhang โZhan
BEIJING โค – Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan has โhad her prison sentence extended after being convicted of “provoking trouble” for reportingโฃ on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, press freedomโค groups confirmed Monday. The length of the extension was notโข promptly โavailable, but follows a closed-door trial on Fridayโค 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 โhospitals and contradicted official narratives that downplayedโ the โseverity of the virus.
She was firstโข detained in May 2020 and โคsubsequently sentenced to โfour years in prison in December of that year. Concerns have been consistently raised regarding her deteriorating health while inโ detention, with reports in Januaryโ indicatingโ she had been force-fed throughโค a gastric tube following a hunger strike.
“Zhang โฃZhan shouldโฃ be โcelebrated as an ‘information hero’. Rather, she is once againโค being prosecuted by theโฃ Chinese regime, โfightingโข for her survival in prison,” said โAntoine Bernard, the director of advocacy at Reporters Without Bordersโ (RSF).
her โlawyer, Peng Yonghe, โขwho testified in her defence and described her โฃas a “true patriot,” โฃwas placedโ under police โคcontrol โฃduring friday’sโ trial.
Aleksandra Bielakow,โ the Taiwan-based advocacy managerโ at RSF, โขstated, “Diplomats were barred from her trial,โฃ with all details concealed.โ her โpersecution must end.”
Beh Lih Yi, the Asia-Pacific director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, added, “This is the second timeโ Zhang has faced trial on baseless charges that amount to โฃnothing more than a blatant act of persecution for her journalism work.”
China currently holds one of the world’s largest populations of โขimprisoned journalists, with approximately 123 media workers estimated to be behind bars, according to the RSF World Press โคFreedom Index.
China’s โขforeign ministry could not be immediatelyโข reached for comment.โข It remains unclear whether Zhang โZhan hadโข legalโค representation during the extended trial.