Women Press Freedom condemns the ongoing surveillance and intimidation of Zhang Zhan, who remains under strict scrutiny by Chinese authorities

Location: China, Beijing
Date: May 23, 2024

Update: June 9, 2024

Women Press Freedom firmly denounces the continued persecution and harassment of Zhang Zhan by Chinese authorities. It is unacceptable that, more than one month after her release from a four-year prison term, Zhang is still not free and faces severe restrictions on her personal liberty. The threats made by the Xuanqiao Police Station to imprison her again for crossing vague "red lines" highlight the ongoing repression of independent journalism in China. We stand in solidarity with Zhang Zhan and call for an end to the unjust surveillance and intimidation of journalists. Freedom of the press is a fundamental human right, and Zhang Zhan's bravery in reporting the truth should be honored, not punished.

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On June 9, journalist Zhang Zhan was summoned by the Xuanqiao Police Station, where officers threatened to imprison her again if she crossed unspecified "red lines," following her release from prison on May 13, 2024. 

The journalist's whereabouts had initially been unknown since her scheduled release, after serving a four-year sentence for reporting on the Wuhan lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

On May 23, 2024, in a video analyzed by Women Press Freedom, Zhang is seen in pajamas, informing viewers about her release and whereabouts, and thanking those who supported her.

“We cannot confirm where Zhang Zhan was when this video was recorded or who recorded it for her,” says activist Jane Wang, who has been advocating for the journalist’s release. Wang shared the police had taken Zhang to her elder brother’s house in Shanghai on the evening of May 13. 

Zhang was detained by Chinese authorities in May 2020 and arrested the following month for her live-streamed coverage of the pandemic’s aftermath in Wuhan — the Chinese city where the first case of the novel coronavirus was detected — where she travelled to from her home in Shanghai at the start of COVID-19. 

The former lawyer turned citizen journalist was sentenced to four years in prison by the Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Court on December 28, 2020. She was charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a common charge used by Chinese authorities to silence dissent. Her live-streamed videos on banned platforms like Twitter and YouTube documented the early days of the pandemic and criticized the government's censorship, garnering numerous views.

Zhan twice staged a hunger strike in 2020 and 2021. She was hospitalized in 2021.

China is known for its harsh suppression of press freedom, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the imprisonment of numerous media workers and citizen journalists. The country remains one of the world's largest jailers of journalists, with at least four women journalists currently behind bars, as documented by Women Press Freedom.

Women Press Freedom will continue to monitor Zhang Zhan's situation and advocate for her protection. We unequivocally condemn the ongoing harassment and surveillance of Zhang Zhan by Chinese authorities. Zhang Zhan, who courageously reported on the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, has already endured a four-year prison term in retaliation for her independent journalism. The recent threats and intimidation she faces highlight the oppressive measures employed to silence dissent and restrict press freedom in China. We call on the international community to pressure the Chinese government to cease its unjust treatment of Zhang Zhan and to uphold the fundamental rights of journalists to report freely and without fear of retribution.

Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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