Comment By UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence On Sentencing Of China’s Zhang Zhan

Geneva, 21 September 2025

The reported sentencing of citizen journalist and former lawyer Zhang Zhan in China to four more years’ jail on the vague and ill-defined charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” is deeply disturbing. This is the second time Zhang has been convicted and subjected to a custodial sentence for this offence. We call for her immediate and unconditional release.

The precise details of this latest charge have not been divulged, but it is believed to be based on her social media activity. We have concerns about the conduct of Zhang’s trial, given that independent observers were not allowed to attend her hearing.

We have raised our concerns with the authorities on a number of cases involving journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders - including Zhang - who have been charged over and/or convicted for criminal acts in relation to what appears to be the exercise of their fundamental rights, protected by international law.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has expressed serious concerns repeatedly to the Chinese authorities with respect to the “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” offence, given its broad wording and the wide scope of its potential application to those exercising their rights, including freedom of expression and association, at variance with China’s international human rights obligations. He calls for its repeal and for an immediate moratorium on its use.

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