Paris, March 31 (NationPress) An influential international organization advocating for press freedom has vehemently denounced the actions of the Chinese government for preventing journalist Zhang Zhan from obtaining legal representation and for effectively isolating her from the outside world. They are calling on the global community to amplify efforts to pressure Beijing into halting her ongoing persecution.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), after her second conviction in September 2025 on what they describe as “trumped-up charges,” Zhan was denied legal counsel last week, severely limiting her capacity to challenge an “unjust verdict” with the assistance of independent legal professionals.

“It is appalling how the Chinese government is attempting to intimidate and silence Zhang Zhan, who has become a beacon of press freedom in China. As if her arbitrary sentencing wasn't enough, they are now stripping her of the right to choose her own legal counsel, which further compromises her chances of appeal. Zhang Zhan should be celebrated as a brave journalist who brought global attention to a critical public health crisis, rather than being imprisoned where her life is in jeopardy,” stated Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager for RSF Asia-Pacific.

“We urge the international community to ramp up pressure on Beijing, demanding an end to the persecution of Zhang Zhan, ensuring her safety and access to necessary medical care, and advocating for her immediate release,” she continued.

RSF reported that Zhan was sentenced to four years in prison on September 19, 2025, based on the fabricated allegation of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” following a trial that was conducted behind closed doors.

“At least diplomats from seven different countries and five activists who sought to observe the trial were denied entry and, in some cases, briefly detained. Requests from lawyers to meet with her have continually been rejected since her second sentencing, and her legal representatives have faced persistent harassment from authorities,” the organization noted.

The United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Commission both condemned Zhan’s sentencing on September 21, 2025, calling for her immediate and unconditional release.

RSF emphasizes that Zhan, who has been held at the Pudong Detention Center in Shanghai since her arrest on August 28, 2024, is enduring her second prison term. She was initially detained in May 2020 for her reporting from Wuhan during the COVID-19 outbreak, during which she posted over 100 videos online.

Furthermore, it is noted that “China is the world’s largest jailer of journalists and defenders of press freedom,” with “at least 120 media professionals currently imprisoned,” and it ranks 178th out of 180 countries and regions in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index.