Zhang Hai, from Wuhan, Hubei Province, family member of Wuhan COVID-19 victims, supporter of the “White Hair Movement” for retired elderly protesting medical reform, and rights activist. In early 2020, his father, originally a PLA veteran, suffered a fracture in an accident in Guangdong. To reimburse medical expenses, he brought his father back to Wuhan for surgery, but died in the hospital after contracting the 2019 coronavirus. Zhang Hai believed his father’s illness was related to the hospital’s failure to properly provide epidemic protection. If the authorities had not concealed the epidemic, he would not have taken his father back to Wuhan for treatment. As a result, he sued the Wuhan municipal government, Hubei provincial government, and the Wuhan Central Theater General Hospital, demanding 2 million yuan in compensation. Since then, Zhang Hai has been constantly harassed by the authorities.
Starting in early February 2022, tens of thousands of retired elderly protested the medical reform in places like Wuhan, Dalian, Anshan, and other places in the “White Hair Movement.” On February 8 and 15, tens of thousands of protesters erupted in Wuhan, with protesters singing “The Internationale” and “Unity is Strength” outside Zhongshan Park, demanding government officials publicly explain why the monthly medical subsidy of over 260 yuan was reduced to several dozen yuan. Moreover, residents only had to pay over 700 yuan in medical expenses to reimburse the remaining portion. The protesters demanded that the authorities withdraw the new medical policy that officially took effect on February 1. Zhang Hai expressed support for the “White Hair Movement” of Wuhan’s retired elderly protesting medical reform and shared the video on Twitter. At 4 p.m. on February 20, 2023, he was detained across provinces by the Hanyang District police in Shenzhen on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” and has since disappeared;
It was learned on April 1, 2023, that he was formally arrested by the Wuhan Hanyang District Procuratorate on the same charge; In July of the same year, the case was transferred to the Hanyang District Procuratorate, which remanded the case for retrial due to insufficient evidence; In September of the same year, the Hanyang District Procuratorate prepared for a second trial. During the first trial in July 2023, Zhang Hai was officially assigned a legal aid lawyer. Later, due to Zhang Hai’s refusal and public attention, the official legal aid lawyer voluntarily terminated the representation; During the second trial in September of the same year, the authorities appointed a new legal aid lawyer. The official sent lawyers to repeatedly threaten and entice Zhang Hai’s family, persuading them to confess. He is currently being held at Wuhan Hanyang Detention Center (Qiujia Dawan Station, Longyang Avenue, Hanyang District, Wuhan, Hubei Province, postal code: 430051).
On the morning of September 12, the lawyer met Zhang Hai at the Hanyang District Detention Center. He was in good spirits, but his blood pressure was a bit high and he was taking medication. He said that before being arrested, his blood pressure was not high. He basically acknowledged all the facts alleged in the indictment, but believed that those facts precisely proved that as a citizen, he was exercising his right to freedom of speech, not picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and that arresting him was wrong.
in the Wuhan lockdown documentary “Wuhan Lockdown Review Archives.” Zhang Hai was interviewed for a documentary and has been closely following its production. In the documentary, Zhang Hai insists on seeking an explanation for his father’s death. After Wuhan was locked down, Zhang Hai not only defended his personal rights but also continuously advocated for other rights activists and vulnerable groups, becoming an active human rights activist. We have reason to believe that his arrest and trial are directly related to his human rights activities over the years.
Although the pandemic has passed, during the three years of the pandemic, the CCP started with concealment and then introduced brutal epidemic prevention policies, and now is trying to cover up the just-passed historical truth. We believe that refusing to forget is the greatest support and respect for those affected by the pandemic, and Zhang Hai’s actions represent the practice of refusing to forget in order to build historical memory for our nation. Refuse to forget, start by paying attention to Zhang Hai’s fate. The think tank “Dialogue with China” will continue to monitor the persecution Zhang Hai is facing through relevant channels and strive to provide assistance. We also call on the outside world to work together so that the crimes committed by the CCP during the epidemic prevention period cannot disappear under the authorities’ crackdown.
“Dialogue with China” think tank
2023.9.14.