Zhang Zhan, a Chinese journalist known for her courageous coverage of the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, has been handed an additional four-year prison sentence, as reported by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
At 42 years old, Zhang was found guilty on September 19 of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” the same charge that led to her original incarceration in December 2020 after she shared firsthand footage and reports from Wuhan during the early days of the pandemic. RSF has verified this latest verdict.
There has been no official statement from China’s foreign ministry regarding Zhang’s case, and Reuters has noted uncertainty about whether she currently has access to legal counsel.
RSF strongly denounced the decision, highlighting Zhang as a beacon of press freedom. Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF’s Asia-Pacific advocacy manager, emphasized, “Zhang deserves global recognition as a champion of truth, not to be confined in harsh prison conditions. Her suffering must end immediately. The international community must intensify diplomatic efforts to secure her release.”
Zhang’s early reports featured videos depicting overwhelmed medical facilities and deserted streets in Wuhan, challenging the official government narrative about the outbreak’s severity. After months of sharing these accounts online, she was detained. Her former attorney, Ren Quanniu, stated that Zhang was “targeted for exercising her right to free expression.”
Following her arrest, Zhang undertook a hunger strike, prompting authorities to restrain her and administer forced feeding via a tube, according to her legal team. Initially sentenced to four years in 2020, she was released in May 2024 but was re-arrested three months later. Prior to the recent sentencing, she was held at Shanghai’s Pudong Detention Centre, RSF reported.
Ren shared on X that the new charges stem from Zhang’s comments posted on foreign websites, asserting, “She should not be found guilty.”
Global press freedom organizations have condemned China’s treatment of Zhang. Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, remarked, “This marks the second trial against Zhang on unfounded accusations, clearly aimed at punishing her journalistic efforts. Chinese authorities must cease her arbitrary detention, drop all charges, and release her without delay.”
China faces widespread criticism for its harsh stance on journalists. RSF notes that the country currently detains at least 124 media professionals, making it the largest jailer of journalists worldwide. In RSF’s 2025 World Press Freedom Index, China ranks 178th out of 180 nations.
This sentencing coincides with the recent passage of a new law by China’s top lawmakers aimed at expediting public health emergency responses, which permits citizens to report emergencies directly, circumventing traditional government channels.
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