Statement by the Spokesperson on the deteriorating health situation of Zhang Zhan

Zhang Zhan's health condition is deteriorating rapidly. If she stays in prison and could not receive medical care, she will die soon. Picture: apple daily from Wang Jianhong's twitter

Brussels, 23/11/2021 – 11:48, UNIQUE ID: 211123_7

EEAS(European Union External Action Service):Statements by the Spokesperson

(編者按: 近日以來滿世界都在報導彭帥性侵事件,似乎要為女性權益伸張正義。本刊並非不同情彭帥,但是歸根結底這是她曾有過的一段私人戀事,中共政權諱莫如深要保「自己人」張高麗,足見專制體制的惡劣慣性,但整個事件並不代表彭帥是什麼傑出的女性,她只是專制政權下無數的受害人之一。獨立記者張展如今的情況更為危急,她才是真正的在極權下受到迫害,命不久矣的英雄。 國際媒體、人權組織和各國政府一再呼籲營救張展,如今聯合國和歐盟也都公開要求中國立即釋放張展,總算是一樁引起國際公憤的人道危機。本刊多次刊登報導張展的勇敢事蹟和目下的危境,我們將繼續關注追蹤報導張展的情況,呼籲中國當局立即放人,祝願她能早日恢復健康。)

The health condition of Zhang Zhan is rapidly deteriorating, while she remains imprisoned. Ms Zhang has suffered, among other, from severe malnutrition. The EU urges China to take all necessary measures to ensure that Zhang Zhan receives urgent and adequate medical treatment, and is granted access to her family members, and lawyers of her choice.

Zhang Zhan was detained on 15 May 2020 and sentenced on 28 December 2020 to four years in prison on charges of ‘picking quarrels and stirring up trouble’ in view of her work as a citizen journalist, which included reporting about the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. The EU calls upon China to abide by its international human rights obligations and immediately and unconditionally release Zhang Zhan. This urgent public call follows repeated – but still unanswered – requests about the situation of Zhang Zhan to the Chinese authorities.

Zhang Zhan is one of many citizens in China who have been imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The restrictions on freedom of expression, on access to information, as well as the intimidation, surveillance and detention of journalists, intellectuals, lawyers and activists in China, continue to be a source of great concern.

Original source:https://eeas.europa.eu