China Jails Journalist for Sharing a Video

Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who became known worldwide for reporting on the early days of COVID-19 in Wuhan, has been sentenced to another four years in prison.

The move has been condemned by the United Nations and the larger international community and is part of the communist regimes ongoing war against free speech and human rights.

Zhang, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in 2020 and posted videos showing crowded hospitals and the struggles of local people during lockdowns.

Her reports were often different from the government’s official version. She was arrested later that year and jailed for four years for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a charge often used in China against critics.

After serving that full sentence, Zhang was released in May 2024. But only a few months later, she was detained again in Shanghai. Authorities accused her of posting articles online that damaged China’s image.

On September 21, 2025, Zhang was sentenced once more to four more years in prison. Rights groups like Reporters Without Borders have strongly condemned the decision, calling it political persecution and demanding her release.

Zhang’s health has been a major concern since her first prison term, when she went on hunger strike and had to be force-fed. Supporters fear that another jail sentence could seriously harm her again.

China remains one of the world’s toughest places for journalists, with dozens behind bars. Zhang’s case has become a symbol of how risky it is to speak out or report independently on sensitive issues in the country.