November 24, 2021 — More than 70 journalists, rights advocates, press freedom groups and related organizations have joined the Coalition For Women In Journalism’s call to demand that the Chinese authorities immediately release journalist Zhang Zhan from prison.
We call on President Xi Jinping to drop all charges against Zhang Zhan. The citizen journalist, whose only “crime” was uncovering Beijing’s initial mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, has been in jail since May 2020 and is fatally ill. She must immediately be released from prison.
After her illuminating coverage of the initial Covid-19 response in Wuhan, Zhang was arrested in May 2020. Then, on December 8, 2020, the Shanghai Pudong New Area Courtconducted a mere three-hour-long trial and sentenced Zhang to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”.
Zhang, a former lawyer, has been on a prolonged hunger strike to protest her detention and is being force-fed through a nasal tube. Family sources say Zhang’s health has worsened to the extent that she is now in mortal danger.
The journalist’s family has stressed that Zhang has gone through drastic and extreme weight loss. She “may not survive the coming cold winter,” they said on Twitter. The journalist has also been mistreated in prison and her family was denied visiting rights. Earlier in August, she was hospitalized for 11 days as her health worsened.
As Zhang’s health in prison deteriorates, bringing her to the brink of death, the CFWIJ and the undersigned organisations and individuals reiterate their demand for her release. The arrest of the journalist was condemnable to begin with. But to continue to keep her in prison even as her life is at risk due to mistreatment by the state is abominable.
The CFWIJ insists once again that Zhang committed no offence. China must recognize that journalism is not a crime and cannot be treated as such. The Chinese government should stop putting their journalists behind bars for fulfilling their duty to inform the public. The country ranks 177 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index, with more than 115 press freedom defenders in prison.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism, the Human Rights Watch, Article 19 and more than 70 undersigned organizations and individuals demand Zhang Zhan’s immediate release and transfer to a safe health institution with her consent.
Signatories:
- Human Rights Watch
- ARTICLE 19 org
- PEN International
- IFEX
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)
- The Overseas Press Club of America
- The International Women’s Media Foundation
- Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Free Press Unlimited
- Kiran Nazish, Founding Director at CFWIJ, United States
- Fengsuo Zhou, President of Humanitarian China
- Yaxue Cao, China Change
- Zubayra Shamseden, Chinese Outreach Coordinator at Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Damla Tarhan, Operations Manager at CFWIJ, Turkey
- Die Morina van Uijtregt, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ, Kosovo
- Jaza Aqil, Senior Editorial Coordinator at CFWIJ, Pakistan
- Ceren İskit, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ, Turkey
- Ayesha Khalid, Researcher at CFWIJ, Pakistan
- Louisa Greve, Human Rights Advocate, United States
- Mary Lynk, Journalist, Canada
- Rachel Wong, Independent Journalist
- Taranath Dahal, Journalism, Nepal
- Jane Wang, Free Zhang Zhan campaigner, UK
- Meghan Davidson Ladly, Journalist, Canada
- Aimun Faisal, Researcher at CFWIJ
- Idro Seferi, DW correspondent, Serbia
- Alice Taylor, Journalist EURACTIV.com and Exit.al, Associate at CFWIJ
- Entenela Ndrevataj, journalist at Citizens Channel, Albania
- Ross Holder, PEN International
- Paula Tran, Journalist, Canada
- Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei, Journalist, Albania
- Indunil Usgoda Arachchi, Journalist, Sri Lanka
- Srishti Jaswal, Independent Journalist, India
- Áine Kelly-Costello, journalist, Norway
- Tim Smith, photojournalist, Canada
- Zeynep Sentek, journalist, Turkey
- Terena Cardwell, Project Manager, United States of America
- Xhemajl Rexha, Chairman of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo
- Marcela Turati, journalist, Mexico
- Dilek İçten, Journalist, Turkey
- Martin O’Hanlon, President, CWA Canada, The Media Union
- Boyoung Lim, Pulitzer Center, South Korea
- Dicle Müftüoğlu, Dicle Firat Journalist Association (DFG), Diyarbakır-Turkey
- Serdar Altan, Dicle Firat Journalist Association (DFG), Diyarbakır-Turkey
- Olivia Pirie-Griffiths, Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom, Australia
- Samad Uthman, Multimedia Investigative Journalist, Nigeria.
- Ariuntuya.A, journalist, Mongolia
- Munkhchimeg Davaasharav, Journalist, Mongolia
- Maria Ordzhonikidze, Justice for Journalists Foundation
- Matthew Caruana Galizia, Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
- Cédric Alviani, Reporters Without Borders East Asia Bureau Head
- Aleksandra Bielakowska, Senior Researcher, Reporters Without Borders East Asia Bureau
- Fabienne Allaire, Teacher, France
- Jenni Wyn Hyatt, UK
- Stuart Russell, Co-chair, Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers, International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL)
- Laura Maria Ele Prinetti, Journalist, Italy
- John Kohn III, Event Rigger and Technician, United States of America
- Kai Vogelsang, Scholar, Germany
- Alex Kaye, Director, United Kingdom
- Guo Kunpeng, Private business owner, China
- Gan Yu Lin, KLSACH Youth, Malaysia
- Gail Debono, Psychologist, Malta
- Matilda Duri, Freelance journalist, Albania
- Walid Bashir, Egypt
- Batzorig Chimeddorj, Student, Mongolia
- Joanna Chiu, Author, Journalist, Canada
- Beena Sarwar, Journalist, Pakistan/USA
- Amy Zhong, Student, USA
- Lori Amy, Professor, USA
- Louisa Bertman, Illustrator, USA
Source: CFWIJ website
