<p>A citizen journalist detained in China after reporting from the Covid-19 ground zero of Wuhan will face trial later this month, her lawyer said Friday, as fears grow for her health.</p>.<p>The coronavirus first emerged in central China late last year, and Beijing has faced accusations that it covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early whistleblowers.</p>.<p>Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February and livestreamed her experiences on social media. She also wrote essays critical of the government's response -- including the strict lockdown of millions of people.</p>.<p>Zhang was detained in May and is accused of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to a court notice seen by AFP -- a charge routinely used to suppress dissidents, with a maximum prison sentence of five years.</p>.<p>The 37-year-old's lawyers received notice earlier this week that the hearing will take place in a Shanghai court on December 28.</p>.<p>Zhang began a hunger strike in June, her lawyers said, and has been force-fed via a nasal tube.</p>.<p>Her lawyer Zhang Keke wrote in a note circulated on social media that her health was extremely poor and she suffered from headaches, dizziness and stomach pain.</p>.<p>"Restrained 24 hours a day, she needs assistance going to the bathroom," he wrote.</p>.<p>"She feels psychologically exhausted, like every day is a torment... she said her current physical state is too hard to bear."</p>.<p>The lawyer said that she has vowed not to stop her hunger strike, despite the repeated pleas of her family, friends and lawyers.</p>.<p>Zhang was critical of the early response in Wuhan, writing in a February essay that the government "didn't give people enough information, then simply locked down the city".</p>.<p>"This is a great violation of human rights," she wrote.</p>.<p>Zhang is the first to face trial of four citizen journalists detained by authorities earlier this year after reporting from Wuhan.</p>.<p>Previous attempts by AFP to contact the other three -- Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua -- were unsuccessful.</p>
<p>A citizen journalist detained in China after reporting from the Covid-19 ground zero of Wuhan will face trial later this month, her lawyer said Friday, as fears grow for her health.</p>.<p>The coronavirus first emerged in central China late last year, and Beijing has faced accusations that it covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early whistleblowers.</p>.<p>Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February and livestreamed her experiences on social media. She also wrote essays critical of the government's response -- including the strict lockdown of millions of people.</p>.<p>Zhang was detained in May and is accused of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to a court notice seen by AFP -- a charge routinely used to suppress dissidents, with a maximum prison sentence of five years.</p>.<p>The 37-year-old's lawyers received notice earlier this week that the hearing will take place in a Shanghai court on December 28.</p>.<p>Zhang began a hunger strike in June, her lawyers said, and has been force-fed via a nasal tube.</p>.<p>Her lawyer Zhang Keke wrote in a note circulated on social media that her health was extremely poor and she suffered from headaches, dizziness and stomach pain.</p>.<p>"Restrained 24 hours a day, she needs assistance going to the bathroom," he wrote.</p>.<p>"She feels psychologically exhausted, like every day is a torment... she said her current physical state is too hard to bear."</p>.<p>The lawyer said that she has vowed not to stop her hunger strike, despite the repeated pleas of her family, friends and lawyers.</p>.<p>Zhang was critical of the early response in Wuhan, writing in a February essay that the government "didn't give people enough information, then simply locked down the city".</p>.<p>"This is a great violation of human rights," she wrote.</p>.<p>Zhang is the first to face trial of four citizen journalists detained by authorities earlier this year after reporting from Wuhan.</p>.<p>Previous attempts by AFP to contact the other three -- Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua -- were unsuccessful.</p>