A Chinese court on Monday sentenced citizen journalist, Zhang Zhan, to four years in prison for her live stream reporting of COVID-19 breakout from Wuhan.
Zhan, who was detained in May, was convicted on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in her coverage of the chaotic initial stages of the outbreak, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported.
Dozens of her supporters and diplomats had gathered outside Shanghai Pudong New District People’s Court on Monday morning before the trial began, according to the report.
The police were compelled to push journalists and observers away from the court’s entrance.
The New York Times reported that the 37-year-old former lawyer has been on a hunger strike since June.
Her lawyers say that she has been forced-fed via a nasal tube as concerns grew about her health.
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