China releases citizen journalist Zhang Zhan after 4 years of imprisonment for Covid-19 coverage

China has released citizen journalist Zhang Chan after four years of imprisonment for her coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Zhan was among the few independent voices to cover the Covid-19 outbreak in China in 2020. She went missing in May 2020 and was revealed to be in Chinese government’s custody in December 2020 when her conviction was announced. She was sentenced to four years in jail.

Zhan was convicted for the offence of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, which is frequently used in China to target activists.

Concerns remain about Zhan’s surveillance, freedoms

In a video released by Zhan after her release, she thanked people for their help and concern.

Sharing the video on X (formerly Twitter), the RSF said there are still concerns about her being surveilled.

“Police released me from prison at five in the morning on May 13 and sent me to my older brother’s home in Shanghai…Thank you everyone for your help and concern, I wish you all the best… there is not much more that I can say,” said Zhang in the video.

⚡️Although Chinese journalist #ZhangZhan was able to share a video today confirming her release from prison after four years, we're worried about her situation under strict surveillance. Our call for her full & unconditional release remains urgent. #FreeZhangZhan pic.twitter.com/UBluQCU6Ze

— RSF (@RSF_inter) May 21, 2024

Separately, UK-based activist Jane Wang said on X that while Zhan appears to have been released, “her contact with the outside world and daily life are all under surveillance”.

“She only has limited freedom,” said Wang.

Who is Zhang Zhan?

Zhang Zhan is a Chinese citizen journalist who showed the life during the initial months of the Covid-19 outbreak and how the Chinese authorities were containing the disease at a time. She is a former lawyer.

Zhan lived in Shanghai before her arrest. She is reported to be 37-years-old at the time of her arrest.

In February 2020, Zhan travelled to Wuhan, the known epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak. From Wuhan, the outbreak spread to the world and became the pandemic that went on to kill close to 6.9 million people in the world. She posted her content on X, WeChat, and YouTube.

In a video in February 2020, Zhan said the Chinese authorities were “imprisoning” people in the name of pandemic prevention.

In another video, Zhan showed a hospital overflowing with patients. In another video of a crematorium working past midnight, she said, “It’s 12:40 am. The sound of the funeral home’s crematorium. They work day and night.”

Zhan’s portrayal of the Covid-19 pandemic went against the narrative that the Chinese regime was pushing at the time. In the Communist Party of China (CPC)-approved narrative, China was containing the outbreak brilliantly after building news hospitals in record time and imposing lockdowns under ‘Zero Covid’ strategy.

Zhan published her last video in May 2020, according to The New York Times. In the video, she said, “The government’s way of managing this city has just been intimidation and threats. This is truly the tragedy of this country.”

After this video, Zhan went missing. It was reported in December that she had been convicted for four years.