16 Facts About Zhang Zhan

1.

Zhang Zhan is a Chinese citizen journalist and former lawyer who travelled to Wuhan in February 2020, from where she reported on the impact of the lockdown measures imposed in the city in response to the COVID-19 outbreak there, and questioned the handling of the crisis by authorities.

2.

Zhang Zhan was detained in May 2020, and was later tortured and sentenced in December 2020 to four years imprisonment on the charges of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".

3.

Zhang Zhan is the first citizen journalist to be sentenced for reporting on the pandemic in China, although at least ten journalists and commentators were known to have been arrested for their coronavirus reporting as of February 2021, with seven remaining missing or detained as of that date.

4.

Zhang Zhan moved to Shanghai in 2010, and formerly worked as a lawyer, but had her license revoked for participation in the Weiquan movement.

5.

On 1 February 2020, Zhang travelled from Shanghai, her place of residence, to Wuhan to cover the COVID-19 pandemic there as a citizen journalist.

6.

The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a Chinese human rights group recorded that Zhang went missing on 14 May 2020, the day after she had last streamed a live broadcast from near Hankou railway station.

7.

On 19 June 2020, Zhang was formally arrested on the orders of the Pudong state prosecutor.

8.

Zhang Zhan's hands were tied to prevent her from removing it.

9.

Zhang Zhan's mother described it as a "partial hunger strike" in which Zhang ate fruit and cookies, but not meat, rice, or vegetables.

10.

Zhang Zhan appeared in court in December 2020 in a wheelchair.

11.

The indictment sheet accused Zhang of talking to foreign media such as Radio Free Asia and The Epoch Times, and spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan.

12.

Zhang Zhan was represented by several lawyers, including Ren Quanniu and Zhang Keke.

13.

Zhang Zhan declined to appeal her conviction, telling her lawyers that she saw the legal process used to imprison her as legally invalid.

14.

In February 2022, Zhang's mother revealed that her daughter's health had improved and Zhang had halted her hunger strike.

15.

An EU foreign policy spokesman, Peter Stano, stated, "according to credible sources, Ms Zhang has been subject to torture and ill-treatment during her detention and her health condition has seriously deteriorated".

16.

Zhang Zhan was announced as the recipient a week later.