(Shanghai) Authorities arrested prominent human rights activist Zhang Zhan on August 27th. Since then, there have been no updates on her whereabouts or her condition.
Recent activity
Zhang Zhan traveled alone from Shanghai to Gansu in late August to rescue recently arrested young activist Zhang Pancheng. Despite interference, she successfully convinced Zhang’s mother to sign a “power of attorney” letter. Upon returning to her hometown in Xianyang, Shaanxi, she was taken away by Shanghai police, and there has been no communication or updates.
Previously arrested
Zhang Zhan was recently released from prison after she suffered four years. The courts charged her with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” after she reported on COVID-19 in Wuhan.
After her release from prison, Zhang Zhan used X (formerly Twitter) to express her views on social issues. She particularly focused on the forced disappearance of Gansu youth Zhang Pancheng, who had been out of prison for only 5 months. Zhang Zhan has not posted on X since August 27, and she has since been detained by Shanghai police.
Zhang Pancheng
The latest news confirms that Zhang Pancheng is currently being held at the Heshui County Detention Center in Gansu Province. He had previously been sentenced twice to four and a half years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” due to his speech.
On July 13, Zhang Pancheng issued a statement saying that since his release from prison in February of this year, he had been continuously followed and closely surveilled. Local authorities repeatedly came to his home, attempting to label him as “mentally ill.” Zhang declared that if he were detained again, he would go on a hunger strike, determined to resist until death.
Shortly after issuing his statement, Zhang Pancheng was forcibly disappeared, and remained missing for several days. It wasn’t until August 29 that it was confirmed he had been criminally detained again.
Christian Human Rights Activists
Both Zhang Zhan and Zhang Pancheng, who were released from prison earlier this year, are young individuals filled with hope for the future of China. Through their efforts, they express their aspirations for a fair and just society. Both are Christians and are acquainted with each other, having studied the Bible together online.
Forced Disappearance
As of September 13, Zhang Zhan has been out of public view for more than two weeks, and Shanghai police have yet to provide any clear information on her situation. The Chinese government has long used enforced or involuntary disappearances as a tactic to instill fear among the people. According to United Nations records, as of last year, there were at least 168 unresolved cases of enforced disappearances in China.
Among these, the case of Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng is the most notable. He has been forcibly disappeared for more than seven years, and the Chinese government has refused to disclose any information about him. US Congress is currently considering the “Gao Zhisheng Act.”
ChinaAid urges the Chinese authorities to cease the use of enforced disappearances, a practice recognized by the international community as a crime.
~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid