China: Journalist Zhang Zhan sentenced to prison again on baseless charges
Responding to reports that Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan has been convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and sentenced to four years in prison, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:
“This second conviction for Zhang Zhan is a betrayal of China’s stated priority of upholding the rule of law. Like lawyer Yu Wensheng and so many others, Zhang’s commitment to defending human rights and her consistent refusal to keep silent – even after a prison sentence that put her health and life at risk – have made her a target.
“Until the Chinese authorities are pressured to change vague and overly broad laws and held accountable for systematically depriving human rights defenders of their liberty, the future for human rights in the country remains grim.
“Zhang’s baseless conviction should be quashed, and she should be immediately released. Pending release, she must be provided with access to counsel, her family and adequate healthcare.
“Chinese authorities must end their decades-long misuse of the criminal charge of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’. And the international community, including China’s bilateral partners, must make it a priority to not merely call for the release of Zhang and others unjustly detained, but actively use its leverage to ensure they will be freed.”
