Chinese Citizens Journalist Zhang Zhan, who exposed Wuhan Covid-19 chaos, sentenced four years to jail

Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan, who previously served for four years for reporting on Wuhan’s early Covid-19 outbreak, was sentenced to another four years in prison. The origin of Covid-19 has become increasingly a political and scientific volatile issue following revelations about research and biosafety practices at the Chinese laboratory, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the failure to identify animals that may have been more than three years after it begins. (File Photo: Reuters) Zhang Zhan, a 42-year-old Chinese citizen journalist, was sentenced to four years in prison, real groups and activists reported. Zhang, who previously served a four-year term for reporting on the early Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, was detained in August 2024 on charges of “choosing quarrels and providing problems”, a charge often used to suppress division. Background and previous detention Zhang only received international attention in 2020 when she traveled to Wuhan, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak, and recorded videos that emphasized chaos in hospitals and the government’s handling of the pandemic. She was arrested in May 2020, sentenced to four years in prison and went on a hunger strike during which the authorities fed her via a stomach tube. Zhang was released in May 2024, but was re -established three months later. The latest trial and sentencing of Zhang’s latest trial allegedly took place in Shanghai on Friday, although authorities outside the court refused to confirm the proceedings. European and North American diplomats who wanted to observe the trial were denied access, referring to paperwork. RSF and UK-based activist Jane Wang reported the sentencing on social media platforms. The charges in the latest case are reportedly from Zhang’s posts on overseas social media regarding China’s human rights violation. The authorities did not publicly specified her alleged offenses. International reaction rights groups have condemned the sentence. Aleksandra Bielakowska, manager of advocacy for advocacy in Asia-Pacific, said: “Zhang Zhan has sacrificed everything to expose the abuse and violation of human rights by the Chinese regime. Committee to protect journalists called the charges “unfounded” and urged Beijing to release her immediately. After China has approved a law intended to accelerate emergencies in public health, enabling citizens to bypass hierarchical structures in emergencies – considering a moved rights as the contrast to the government’s treatment of independent reporters.