Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen journalist who garnered attention for her reporting on the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, is set to be released on Monday after serving a four-year sentence.
A former lawyer, Zhang Zhan bravely reported from Wuhan during the city's complete lockdown, providing rare, unfiltered insights into the situation on the ground amidst stringent media censorship imposed by Chinese authorities.
She was arrested in May 2020 and subsequently sentenced to four years in prison for the charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a common accusation used by the Chinese government to target dissidents and human rights activists.
Zhang is expected to complete her sentence on Monday, as indicated by the court verdict on her case, which was obtained and published by human rights groups. Supporters and rights organizations have urged the Chinese government to release Zhang according to schedule.
Jane Wang, an advocate for the Free Zhang Zhan campaign based in the UK, expressed that there has been no confirmation yet regarding Zhang's release from prison and reunion with her family. Supporters continue to await updates on her status.
In early February 2020, shortly after Wuhan was placed under lockdown, Zhang traveled approximately 400 miles from Shanghai to the central Chinese city to report on the virus's spread and the efforts to contain it. Her reporting coincided with increased censorship on both state-run and private Chinese media outlets.
For over three months, Zhang documented life under lockdown in Wuhan and the challenges faced by its residents, including overwhelmed hospitals and deserted streets, as the world grappled with the pandemic's spread. She shared her observations, along with photos and videos, on social media platforms such as WeChat, Twitter, and YouTube— the latter two of which are inaccessible in China.
In a video recorded two weeks after her arrival in Wuhan, while wearing a face mask, Zhang expressed frustration, stating, “I can't find anything to say because everything is covered up. This is the problem facing our country now: any opposing opinions from us might be dismissed as ‘rumors.'”
Zhang's poignant words reflected the frustration of many in China during the pandemic: “Even our own voices are out of our control. They imprison us in the name of pandemic prevention and restrict our freedom… If we cannot obtain the truth, if we cannot break their monopoly of the truth, the world will be meaningless to us.”
However, her courageous reporting abruptly ceased in mid-May. It was later disclosed that she had been detained by authorities and returned to Shanghai.
During a regular news conference on Monday afternoon, China's Foreign Ministry declined to confirm whether Zhang had been released from prison.
Human rights advocates who have closely monitored China's actions suggest that even if Zhang is released from prison, she is likely to live under strict surveillance by authorities. Yaqiu Wang, research director for China at the advocacy group Freedom House, emphasized that while Zhang's release from prison may occur, it does not guarantee her freedom. Wang noted that based on the Chinese government's previous actions, Zhang could face ongoing harassment and surveillance.
Zhang was among several independent journalists who were detained or went missing at the beginning of the pandemic, as Chinese authorities intensified their crackdown on virus coverage.
According to Reporters Without Borders, China is the world's largest jailer of journalists, ranking 172 out of 180 countries in its annual Press Freedom Index. Domestically, authorities exercise tight control over the press, while most foreign media outlets are blocked by the Great Firewall, China's extensive online censorship and surveillance system.
