Zhang Zhan: who is the Chinese citizen journalist facing a second trial?

Zhang Zhan’s videos have been viewed more than 100,000 times and provided a rare glimpse into the early days of China’s harsh zero-Covid regime. Photograph: Miguel Candela/EPA

A Chinese citizen journalist who was jailed after reporting from the frontlines of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan is to face trial for a second time, according to human rights activists and media freedom groups.

Zhang Zhan, who was released from prison in May 2024 after serving four years behind bars, is expected to go on trial on Friday at the Shanghai Pudong New Area people’s courtfor “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, a catch-all term used to target government critics.