The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

China: citizen journalist Zhang Zhan imprisoned for Wuhan reporting

ChinaRSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

China detained citizen journalist Zhang Zhan for posting independent video reports from Wuhan during the early COVID-19 outbreak, later convicting her of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" and, after her release, detaining her again years later.123

What happened

Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, traveled to Wuhan in February 2020 and began posting independent video reports on Twitter and YouTube about the early coronavirus outbreak there, including interviews with affected residents and business owners. She went missing on May 14, 2020, and was confirmed arrested and detained the next day. Chinese authorities held her on the charge of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble," a broadly worded offense that press freedom groups say Chinese courts use against government critics generally. A court sentenced her to four years in prison in December 2020. Zhang staged repeated hunger strikes in detention and was released in May 2024 after completing her sentence, only for CPJ to report that Chinese authorities brought a second case against her the following year, keeping her under continued restriction.123

Ongoing; CPJ reported a second case against her in 2025 after her initial release.123

What reason was given

Stated justification

"picking quarrels and provoking trouble"1

What changed for reporting

Zhang's imprisonment and later re-detention removed one of the few independent voices who had reported directly from Wuhan during the outbreak's earliest weeks, before China's official narrative was established.123

Timeline

2020

14 May 2020
China: citizen journalist Zhang Zhan imprisoned for Wuhan reporting

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Xi JinpingotherPresident of China

Outlets and journalists

NameKindRelation
Zhang Zhanjournalistaffected

Sources

  1. Journalist Zhang Zhan arrested for covering COVID-19 in WuhanCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2020-05-18, reporting. Source record
  2. China jails citizen-journalist for four years over Wuhan virus reportingReuters, 2020-12-28, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. The formal charge used against her.picking quarrels and provoking troubleJournalist Zhang Zhan arrested for covering COVID-19 in Wuhan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-05-18.Claim 546, checked 2026-09-22.
  2. CPJ's assessment of the motive behind her arrest.China professes pride in its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but appears deathly afraid of allowing independent journalists like Zhang Zhan to freely tell the story of what is happening,Journalist Zhang Zhan arrested for covering COVID-19 in Wuhan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-05-18.Claim 657, checked 2026-09-22.
  3. The potential sentence reported at the time of arrest.If convicted, she could face up to five years in prisonJournalist Zhang Zhan arrested for covering COVID-19 in Wuhan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-05-18.Claim 658, checked 2026-09-22.