Exactly two years ago, Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan was arrested for a second time for reporting on human rights abuses in China. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) outlines the years of repression against this iconic journalist — known for covering the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and warning the world about one of the deadliest diseases in recent history — and calls for the immediate release of this hero of journalism, whose health remains at risk.
“Two years after Zhang Zhan’s re-arrest, the Chinese regime is doing everything in its power to suppress information about the current health and situation of this icon of Chinese journalism, who warned the world about a deadly disease. We remain deeply concerned for Zhang Zhan’s health. She should be celebrated as a hero, not persecuted for her commitment to journalism and imprisoned while her life remains at risk. We call on the international community to intensify pressure on Beijing to end its persecution of Zhang Zhan, ensure her safety and access to adequate medical care, and secure her immediate release. We cannot allow the Chinese regime to make Zhang Zhan disappear.
The years-long repression of Zhang Zhan
- February 2020: Zhang Zhan travels to Wuhan to cover the early COVID-19 outbreak, and publishes 100 videos and social media posts warning about a deadly disease.
- May 2020: She is reported missing in Wuhan. Authorities later announce her detention.
- 28 December 2020: She is sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
- August 2021: Zhang Zhan is hospitalised for 11 days after a prolonged hunger strike.
- October 2021: Her health deteriorates severely; at 1.77 m, she weighs barely 40 kg and can no longer move without assistance.
- October 2021: Her detention is deemed arbitrary by the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
- September 2023: Hospitalised again, she continues a partial hunger strike to protest her innocence.
- 13 May 2024: Due to be released from Shanghai Women’s Prison following the completion of her sentence, the journalist remains unaccounted for.
- 21 May 2024: She confirms her release in a short video via an intermediary following global mobilisation.
- June 2024: She is summoned by Shanghai police and threatened with being “put away” if she crossed certain “red lines.”
- 28 August 2024: Zhang Zhan is arrested again. Prosecutors accuse her of posting a large amount of “false information that seriously damaged the country’s image” on social media.
- September 2024: Her lawyer was briefly detained by police while meeting with her mother and was later prevented from taking on the role of her defense attorney.
- January 2025: It became known that she had been on another hunger strike to protest her detention and was force-fed by authorities. She developed stomach issues.
- 19 September 2025: After a closed-door trial, Zhang Zhan is sentenced to another four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
- March 2026: She is denied access to a lawyer, obstructing her ability to appeal an unjust verdict with the support of independent legal counsel.
- August 2026: It has become known that Zhang Zhan was moved to Zone 5 in Shanghai’s Pudong Detention Centre, with no updates on her health status.
