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May 14, 2025 – China –
Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, known for reporting from Wuhan during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, remains in a critical health condition and under mysterious circumstances following the supposed end of her prison sentence. Human rights groups warn that she is at imminent risk of death due to prolonged health complications from a hunger strike she maintained during her detention in protest of unjust imprisonment.
Zhang, a former lawyer, was arrested in May 2020 for publishing video reports from Wuhan, which contradicted the Chinese government’s official narrative of the outbreak. She was later sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vague charge frequently used to silence dissent. While incarcerated, Zhang undertook a hunger strike that left her severely malnourished. Reports indicate she was force-fed and shackled to a hospital bed. Her condition became so dire that observers warned she could die in detention.
Her sentence was scheduled to end in early May 2024, but no official confirmation of her release has been made. Friends and supporters who attempted to meet her outside prison were reportedly told by authorities to leave, and her family has remained silent, likely under pressure. This has led to growing concerns that Zhang may be under extrajudicial detention or house arrest, or that authorities are concealing the severity of her medical condition.
Several international human rights groups, including the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), have demanded that China release Zhang unconditionally and provide immediate medical care. Her case has become a stark symbol of the perils faced by journalists in China and the state’s tightening grip on information.
Zhang Zhan’s fate continues to galvanize international calls for press freedom and the protection of journalists. As her health remains in question and her whereabouts are unknown, pressure is mounting on Chinese authorities to be transparent and to respect fundamental human rights.
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