An open letter signed by more than 1000 lawyers and citizens has urged the Chinese authorities to release Zhang Zhan into medical care.

“She is hanging by a thread, we are very worried,”said an English translation of the letter. “In order to prevent a tragedy, we think it is necessary to write a letter to you expressing our common wish: that is to conduct a comprehensive physical examination of Zhang Zhan and give her emergency treatment.”

The letter said Zhang was innocent and praised her work in the early months of the outbreak when little was known about the dangers of the virus and Chinese authorities were attempting to cover it up.

“When many people fled Wuhan in fear, Zhang went in alone. This kind of courage is rare,” it said. “This is behaviour a modern government should encourage. It not only contributes to disaster relief, but creates an atmosphere of mutual assistance and friendship … It is unjust to use criminal means to punish Zhang Zhan's actions, which were not only harmless but helpful.”

#FreeZhangZhan #SaveZhangZhan

前律师张展因为在新冠疫情初期在武汉实地采访并向外披露疫情真实情况而于去年五月被上海警方跨省拘捕，在去年年底以“寻衅滋事罪”被判处有期徒刑四年。张展从被关押在看守所就开始绝食抗争，虽经狱方强行灌食，仍坚持绝食，10月底张展家人说她已生命垂危。

超过1000人呼吁救予张展参与联署《关于给予张展全面身体检查和紧急救治的呼吁书》，联署人名单包括来自海内外的各阶层公民。公开呼吁书中说：

“......张展的无罪，不仅是自然法意义上的无罪，也是实在法意义上的无罪。张展无害的行为根本没有社会危害性，也完全不符合寻衅滋事罪的犯罪构成。张展对迫害的不服从在法理情三方面都能站得住脚......张展是一位你们从未见过的硬骨头，在她的字典里没有苟且这两个字，为了抗议对自己的迫害甚至不惜决志殉道，这是一个你们需要直面的现实，不要再拖延试图令她屈服，那只会进一步摧垮她的身体。我们迫切请求你们尽速给张展做全面的身体检查并给予紧急的救治，以免贻误救治的时机。我们之所以要求在保外就医或者监外执行之前，给张展做一个全面的身体检查并给予紧急救治，是因为我们不仅认为她应当被释放，更应当健康的活下来，而不是像一些良心犯那样在弥留之际才获准保外就医，几天后死亡而让迫害者逃脱历史的罪责。”

#释放张展 #救张展