Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen journalist detained for reporting on the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, faces uncertainty following the end of her prison term, raising concerns about her whereabouts and well-being amidst government control over narratives related to the outbreak.
On May 14, 2024, concerns arose regarding the whereabouts of Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen journalist, following the completion of her four-year prison sentence. Zhang was detained for reporting on the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan and was expected to be released from Shanghai’s Women Prison on this date. Her imprisonment had been on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a term frequently used in political cases in China.
Zhang gained attention for her reporting from Wuhan during the city’s strict lockdown in February 2020. She was one of several citizen journalists who faced incarceration for their activities during the outbreak. For instance, Fang Bin was released in April 2023 after a three-year sentence, and Chen Qiushi resurfaced in September 2021 following his disappearance in February 2020.
Throughout her imprisonment, Zhang conducted a hunger strike and was hospitalized in 2021. There has been pressure on her family from police, limiting their communication to occasional phone calls through the prison system. Efforts to confirm her release status and whereabouts by her former lawyer, Ren Quanniu, and activist Jane Wang have been unsuccessful. Additionally, planned reception by supporters outside the prison was thwarted due to police interventions, including detaining a supporter for questioning.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when queried, did not provide information on Zhang’s situation. This case continues to highlight the sensitivity surrounding discussions of COVID-19 in China and the government’s control over related narratives.
