02/14/2022 China (International Christian Concern) – Christian activist Zhang Zhan, who was arrested and incarcerated in 2020 for exposing the failures of the Wuhan government’s early responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, is finally in better health, according to her mother.

On February 12, Zhang’s lawyer Zhang Keke spoke with the activist’s mother on the phone and learned that Zhang’s treatment in prison has improved and that she has halted her hunger strike.

Three days before Lunar New Year (Jan. 28), Zhang’s mother got to talk to Zhang through video chat. Her daughter was visibly better than months ago. She has begun eating, so the authorities no longer force-feed her. Her constant severe stomachache has improved thanks to her food intake. The activist can now walk on her own and sometimes works on crafts along with other inmates.

Her mother and supporters are relieved after knowing Zhang is doing better in prison.

Last summer, Zhang’s health was extremely poor, as she had lost a significant amount of weight and suffered from severe malnutrition, a gastric ulcer, and swollen legs and feet. She did not have the strength to stand on her own and had to be sent to the hospital a few times.

Zhang was imprisoned for four years and charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” in December 2020 by a court in Shanghai. As a citizen journalist, her bravery has won several awards, such as the 2021 Press Freedom Award by Reporters Without Borders and the 2020 Lin Zhao Free Award by China Aid.

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