A chinese journalist who made a report from Wuhan at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak has been sentenced to four years in jail by a Shanghai court.
Zhang Zhan, who is 37 is said to be found guilty of, “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” according to Zhang Keke one of her defense lawyers.
It is known that the offence is commonly used by the government of China to target human rights activists and dissidents.
Zhang had travelled from Shanghai to Wuhan early February, to report on the pandemic and attempts laid to contain it.
The former lawyer documented for over three months on life under lockdown in Wuhan and the tough living conditions and reality that residents faced.
She uploaded her findings in form of photos and videos on Wechat, Twitter and YouTube which have so far been blocked in China.
In mid-May, her posts were brought down and it was later revealed that she had been arrested and detained by police, where she was taken back to Shanghai.
He Lawyer Zhang Keke narrates the ordeal of her torture where she had been starved. Besides, from a visit this month by her lawyer, described on social media that Zhang had been inserted a feeding tube through her nose and mouth and that her hands were tied, to prevent her from ejecting the device which caused severe headaches and pain in her stomach and throat.
It was observed that the journalist attended her Monday hearin on a wheelchair as she had grown so weak
