"Provoking Trouble": Chinese Covid Whistleblower Gets 4 More Years Of Prison

"Provoking Trouble": Chinese Covid Whistleblower Gets 4 More Years Of Prison

Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan.

A Chinese citizen-journalist who was imprisoned for documenting the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak has received an additional four-year prison sentence, according to Reporters Without Borders. Zhang Zhan, 42, was convicted on charges of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" - the same accusation that led to her original December 2020 incarceration after she shared firsthand accounts from Wuhan about the coronavirus spread.

The international press freedom organization, known as RSF, announced on Saturday that Zhang had been sentenced the previous day. Reuters was unable to confirm whether Zhang had legal representation, and China's Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment.

"Instead of being celebrated worldwide as an 'information hero,' she remains trapped in harsh prison conditions," stated Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF's Asia-Pacific advocacy manager. "Her persecution must end, and the international diplomatic community must urgently pressure Beijing for her immediate release."

Zhang was initially detained after months of publishing accounts and videos showing overcrowded hospitals and deserted streets that portrayed a more severe early picture of the pandemic than official narratives. Her attorney at that time, Ren Quanniu, reported that Zhang believed she was "being persecuted for exercising her freedom of speech."

Following her arrest, Zhang began a hunger strike, according to court documents reviewed by Reuters. This reportedly led police to restrain her hands and force-feed her through a tube, as stated by her lawyers then.

After her release in May 2024, Zhang was detained again three months later. She was subsequently formally arrested and placed in Shanghai's Pudong Detention Center, according to RSF.

Friday's sentencing followed Zhang's reporting on human rights violations in China, RSF reported. Her former lawyer Ren posted on X that the new charges stemmed from Zhang's comments on overseas websites and maintained that she should not be considered guilty.

Chinese authorities have never publicly specified the exact activities for which Zhang was charged.

"This represents the second time Zhang Zhan has faced trial on unfounded charges that amount to nothing more than blatant persecution for her journalistic work," said Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director for the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "Chinese authorities must end her arbitrary detention, drop all charges, and release her immediately."

According to RSF, China imprisons more journalists than any other country, with at least 124 media workers currently behind bars. The nation ranked 178th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index.

One week before Zhang's latest sentencing, China's top lawmakers passed legislation to expedite public health emergency responses by allowing individuals to report emergencies, circumventing the government's typical hierarchical structure.