Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan was arrested in 2020 for reporting on the situation in Wuhan at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and was sentenced to four years in prison. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
After being released in May 2024, she was arrested again three months later. In September 2025, she was sentenced to another four years in prison.
According to the International Press Freedom Organization and the Committee to Protect Journalists, she is accused under the charge of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." This accusation is similar to her previous court case and has been assessed as persecution of a journalist fighting for freedom of speech.
Zhang distributed videos about hospitals and empty streets in Wuhan. Her former lawyer Ren Quanniu emphasized that in this case she only freely expressed her own opinion.
Currently, China is considered the country with the highest number of imprisoned journalists in the world, and this situation poses a serious threat to press freedom. It is necessary to draw the international community's attention to protecting press freedom.
Ensuring the safety of journalists and freedom of speech is important. Zhang Zhan's case shows how complex the conditions are for journalists to operate freely.
Moreover, this incident should be seriously discussed within the framework of international human rights standards. International organizations and human rights activists must keep this issue under constant supervision.
The freedom and protection of journalists serve to strengthen democratic values in countries. Zhang Zhan's case is an important signal regarding freedom of speech and the protection of journalists.
Therefore, it is necessary to focus on this topic and intensify efforts to protect journalists' rights.
