Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old civilian journalist who reported on the situation in crowded hospitals and in Wuhan earlier this year, was sentenced on Monday to four years in prison for “picking up the fight and inciting trouble,” the report said.
Reuters, citing her lawyer, reported that a possible appeal would be made, saying her client believed she was being “persecuted for using her freedom of speech.”
In Hong Kong, a pro-democracy activist holds leaflets with a picture of Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan outside the Chinese central government’s liaison office. (AP Photo / Qin Cheng)
The New York Times reports that the prison sentence will likely be seen as “a stern warning to those who challenge the government’s official description of the epidemic.”
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President Trump has initially blamed China for managing the virus. He said it was Beijing’s misconception that led to the rapid spread of the disease around the world.
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In June, senior Chinese officials released a lengthy report on the country’s response and defended Beijing’s action.
Ma Xiao, chairwoman of the National Health Commission, said the Chinese government did not delay or cover anything. “Instead, we have immediately reported the virus data and related information about the epidemic to the international community and have made significant contributions to the prevention and control of epidemics around the world.”
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A Reuters report said Zhang posted videos on YouTube showing interviews with residents and images from the Wuhan Institute of Virgo.
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She criticized the response and eventually detained him in May. “The government’s way of running the city is just intimidating and threatening,” he said in a video, according to the Times. “This is really the tragedy of this country.”
The Associated Press contributes to this report
