London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Fang Bin: China Covid whistleblower returns home to Wuhan after jail

Fang Bin: China Covid whistleblower returns home to Wuhan after jail

Fang Bin, who documented the initial Covid outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has been freed from jail after three years, sources told the BBC.

Mr Fang is one of several so-called citizen journalists who disappeared after sharing videos of scenes in Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic.

After disappearing in February 2020, he was sentenced to three years in jail at a secret trial in Wuhan, sources said.

He was released on Sunday and is in good health, they added.

Mr Fang is now back home in Wuhan. The BBC could not reach his family for comment.

The video that caught the attention of the outside world was one where he counted eight body bags outside a Covid hospital in the space of five minutes. He said he was detained that night but released. Then came a video with the message: "All people revolt - hand the power of the government back to the people". That was the last video he shared.

Although activists have welcomed his release, they are concerned about the fate of another whistleblower - Zhang Zhan, a 39-year-old former lawyer, was detained in May 2020 and jailed for four years in December 2020.

Like Mr Fang, she too was convicted for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to activists who say the vague offence has often been used against critics of China's government. Two other citizen reporters Chen Qiushi and Li Zehua also disappeared in Wuhan in February 2020, but surfaced months later.

Their videos provided a rare glimpse into Wuhan in the early months of 2020. Cases were climbing and lockdowns had come into force, but information from officials remained scarce. Wuhan's 76-day lockdown - which inspired the country's harsh zero-Covid strategy - put the city under severe strain.

Ms Zhang, who lived in Shanghai, travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 to report on the outbreak after reading about a resident's experience. She was active on YouTube and Twitter, both of which are banned in mainland China, and continued sharing videos despite reportedly being threatened by local authorities.

"Maybe I have a rebellious soul... I'm just documenting the truth. Why can't I show the truth?" she said in an interview with an independent filmmaker that was obtained by the BBC.

Shortly after the arrest, she began a hunger strike and was sometimes force-fed as her weight plummeted to under 40kg (88lb), according to the Free Zhang Zhan group. It's unclear if she is still on a hunger strike. Her family knows little about her condition.

Last December, her brother uploaded photos of a letter written by Ms Zhang in now-deleted tweets. She drew flowers on the envelope to reassure their mother, he said.

In the letter, Ms Zhang mostly asked after her mother, who had recently undergone surgery and chemotherapy. She added that she was being treated well by the authorities.

This tweet showing an envelope with Zhang Zhan's drawing has been deleted


Mr Fang's release came quietly and with no warning as China tries to move on from the pandemic. Years of gruelling lockdowns and unyielding Covid rules took a huge toll, but their abrupt end late in 2022 brought on a devastating Covid wave.

The country has reported 120,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly half of those were recorded between 8 December 2022 and 12 January 2023. But the numbers don't represent the true toll.

In February, the Chinese Communist Party's top leaders declared a "decisive victory" over Covid, boasting the lowest fatality rate in the world. They also said the country's Covid exit was a "miracle".

A new history textbook talks of how the government "achieved major achievements in co-ordinating the prevention and control of the pandemic".

And China's swift and effective censorship machine also means that the videos and accounts shared by those such as Mr Fang or Ms Zhang will likely fade from memory, if they haven't already.

"I visited China in March, and my observation is that people there want to move on and leave the past behind," says Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"They had to endure the draconian zero-Covid for a prolonged period, and now they yearn for a return to a more normal way of life." But, he adds, that this desire to move on is also driven by the lack of public discussion or debate.

Not everyone in Wuhan has forgotten what life was like in early 2020.

One 31-year-old resident, who did not wish to reveal his full name, said he had not heard of Fang Bin but does remembers Li Wenliang, a doctor who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus and died after contracting it. Mr Li was investigated for "spreading rumours", although local authorities later apologised to him.

China's stringent lockdowns sparked huge public anger


He says he often talks about the pandemic with his friends, even though he admits they might be a minority.

"Society is revising the memory of this period," he says. He said he lived with his parents throughout the lockdown. His mother would be so anxious and wash her hands so often that her hands cracked because of it.

"My mum still doesn't really understand the virus. If the media start reporting about virus again, she will wear a mask. She is really frightened."

And there are others like Yang Min, who lost her only child to Covid in January 2020. She believes an early warning from officials would have saved her daughter.

Now, three years on, she is still fighting to hold officials accountable and trying to file a lawsuit against the local government.

She is under surveillance but, she told the BBC earlier this year, she was not afraid.

"I have already lost the most precious thing in life. What else can they take away from me?"

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
Close
0:00
0:00
Nvidia Joins Tech Giants as First Chipmaker to Reach $1 Trillion Valuation
You Are So Beautiful
Drone Attack on Moscow's Wealthiest Neighborhoods Suspected to be Launched by Ukraine
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Elon Musk Meets Chinese Finance Minister in Beijing
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Hold Power Talks with President Biden in Washington
Sattahip Motor Show 20
AI ‘extinction’ should be same priority as nuclear war – experts
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Prominent Hacker Forum RaidForums Suffers Substantial Data Breach
A kiss to build a dream on
Climate cultists thought they had sabotaged another beautiful event — then the cameraman had his revenge.
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Nvidia CEO Huang says firms, individuals without AI expertise will be left behind
Mean Blues
WPP Revolutionizes Advertising with NVIDIA's AI Powerhouse
La Chansonnette
Two US Employees Fired For Chasing Robbers Out Of Store As They Broke ''Company Policy''
Pattaya Addicts
Pfizer, the EU, and disappearing ink - Smoke, Mirrors, and the Billion-Dose Pfizer Vaccine Deal: EU's 'Open Secret
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
Actor Tom Hanks told Harvard University graduates to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth for their own gain
Dream a little dream of me
The Sussexes' Royal Rebound: Could Harry and Meghan Markle Return to the UK?
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
A provocative study suggests: Left-Wing Extremism and its Unsettling Connection to Psychopathy and Narcissism
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
France Arrests 10 on Suspicion of Failing to Respond in Time to Migrant Drowning
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
Neuralink Receives FDA Approval for First-in-Human Clinical Study
Rondo Alla Turca
Ukrainian Intelligence Official Admits to Assassination Attempts on Putin
Kiss of fire
WATCH THIS: democracy in Russia is so bad!
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
Ed Davey: It is possible for a woman to have a penis
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
Bernard Arnault Loses $11.2 Billion in One Day as Investors Fear Slowdown in US Growth Will Reduce Demand for Luxury Products
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
Russian’s Wagner Group leader: “I am not a chef, I am a butcher. Russia is in danger of a revolution like in 1917.”
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
TikTok Sues Montana Over Law Banning the App
La vie en rose
Ron DeSantis Jumps Into 2024 Presidential Race, Setting Up Showdown With Trump
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
Steve Jobs introducing Apple's iPhone, exactly 16 years ago.
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
Banking Behemoth vs Ex-Boss: The PMorgan-Epstein Entanglement
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
China overtakes Japan as world's top car exporter
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
Banking Behemoth vs Ex-Boss: The PMorgan-Epstein Entanglement
Only you (And you alone)
Elon Musk's SpaceX and Italy's Unipol join forces to help Italians hit by flooding
Strangers In The Night
Talks between US House Republicans and President Biden's Democratic administration on raising the federal government's $31.4tn debt ceiling have paused
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
Biden Administration Eyeing High-Profile Visits to China: The Biden Administration is heating things up by looking into setting up a series of top-level visits to Beijing by top officials in the coming months
Summer time
New evidence in special counsel probe may undercut Trump’s claim documents he took were automatically declassified
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
A French court of appeals confirmed former President Nicolas Sarkozy's three-year jail term for corruption and influence peddling
Aux Champs Elysees
Debt Ceiling Crises Have Unleashed Political Chaos
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Weibao Wang, a former software engineer at Apple, was charged with stealing trade secrets related to autonomous systems, including self-driving cars
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
Mobile phone giant Vodafone to cut 11,000 jobs globally over three years as new boss says its performance not good enough
She
Elon Musk compares George Soros to Magneto, the supervillain from the Marvel Comics series.
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Warren Buffett Sells TSMC Shares Over Concerns About Taiwan's Stability
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
New Study Finds That Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia Is a Major Cause of Death in COVID-19 Patients Who Require Ventilator Assistance
Radiohead - Creep
Vienna: Passenger Plays Hitler Speeches on Train, Causes Panic
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
Remarkable video from our Fox drone team
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
The official tapes of Trump's deposition in the E. Jean Carroll battery (rape) and defamation case have been released.
Pentatonix Havana
Here is the full video that the media are purposely not sharing
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
King Charles III being crowned.
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
Newly released video of Donald Trump’s rape trial deposition:
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Video: Ukraine MP Punches Russian Representative At Global Meet
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
Russia accused Ukraine of attacking the Kremlin with drones in an attempt to kill Putin
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
Ahead of King Charles’ coronation, British guards rehearse in the middle of the night in London
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Dutch court orders man who fathered 550 kids to stop donating sperm
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Kim Kardashian Lookalike Christina Ashten Dies Of Cardiac Arrest, Hours After Plastic Surgery
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
Samsung has banned employees from using generative AI services such as ChatGPT
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×