Chinese Journalist Zhang Zhan’s Health Deteriorates in Detention Five Years After Reporting on COVID-19 Outbreak

Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen journalist and former lawyer, has been detained since May 2020 for her independent reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. She was arrested after documenting the city’s lockdown and the government’s response, sharing her findings on social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and WeChat. In December 2020, Zhang was sentenced to four years in prison on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vaguely defined offense often used by Chinese authorities to suppress dissent.

During her imprisonment, Zhang’s health deteriorated significantly due to intermittent hunger strikes protesting her detention. Reports indicate that she was hospitalized twice in 2021 for severe malnutrition and other health issues. Despite completing her sentence in May 2024, her whereabouts remained unknown, raising concerns about her treatment and potential re-arrest.

In May 2025, a coalition of over 60 press freedom and human rights organizations, led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), issued a joint statement demanding Zhang’s immediate release. The coalition expressed alarm over her deteriorating health and the ongoing arbitrary detention, calling for international pressure on Chinese authorities to end her suffering and grant her full freedom.

Zhang’s case highlights the broader issue of press freedom and human rights in China, where independent journalism is often met with repression. Her courageous reporting and subsequent persecution underscore the risks faced by journalists in authoritarian regimes and the importance of international solidarity in advocating for their rights.