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CNHRA EVENT RECORD · CNHRA-E-007666

Fang Bin Wuhan reporting case: three-year sentence and release

方斌武汉疫情报道案：三年刑期及获释

Date

2020-02-01

Location

Wuhan, Hubei (reporting and detention); Beijing (reported post-release arrangements)

Event Type

Detention · Sentencing · Release

Human Rights Issues

Freedom of the Press · Freedom of Expression

Record ID

CNHRA-E-007666

Summary

CNA’s 2023 retrospective records residential surveillance from February 9, 2020, subsequent formal arrest and a three-year sentence for picking quarrels and provoking trouble in 2021. Sentencing information became widely public late in his imprisonment; an appeal was rejected in August 2022.[1]

Description

CNA’s 2023 retrospective records residential surveillance from February 9, 2020, subsequent formal arrest and a three-year sentence for picking quarrels and provoking trouble in 2021. Sentencing information became widely public late in his imprisonment; an appeal was rejected in August 2022.[1]

Fang completed his sentence and was released on April 30, 2023. CNA cited sources saying authorities planned to send him to Beijing. HRW’s World Report 2024 also records his April 2023 release after three years in custody.[1][2]

Developments

Questioned after hospital video

Fang filmed the outbreak at Wuhan No. 5 Hospital and posted footage before being taken to a police station that evening. RFA reports that police warned him over distribution and released him.[3]

Detained again and disappears from public view

Fang was detained again after further videos. HRW reported in April that he had not reappeared; CNA’s later chronology identifies this day as the start of residential surveillance.[4][1]

Three-year sentence

CNA’s 2023 account records a three-year sentence for picking quarrels and provoking trouble in 2021 and a subsequent appeal, also recounting the later appeal and notification of relatives.[1]

Sentence upheld on appeal

According to CNA’s retrospective, the appeal court upheld the three-year term in August. The family subsequently received notice of his forthcoming release.[1]

Released after completing sentence

CNA reported Fang’s release that day and quoted sources on plans to send him to Beijing. HRW subsequently also recorded his release in April 2023.[1][2]

Related People

Fang Bin

方斌

CNHRA-P-778282

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Organizations

No organizations have been added.

Documents

No documents have been added to this record yet.

Sources

  1. [1]
    Fang Bin released after three years

    CNHRA-S-226271Central News Agency

    Evidence location: February 9, 2020 residential surveillance, 2021 three-year sentence, August 2022 appeal and April 30, 2023 release report.

  2. [2]
    World Report 2024: China

    CNHRA-S-365345Human Rights Watch

    Evidence location: Freedom of expression section: Fang’s April 2023 release after three years in custody.

  3. [3]
    Wuhan citizen reporter detained and released after hospital video

    CNHRA-S-081686Radio Free Asia

    Evidence location: February 2, 2020 brief: previous day’s hospital footage, police questioning and subsequent release.

  4. [4]
    Free Covid-19 activists and citizen journalists

    CNHRA-S-711091Human Rights Watch

    Evidence location: Terminus 2049 and Liren volunteering; April 19, 2020 detentions; Fang Bin and Chen Qiushi’s Wuhan reporting and disappearance.

Record ID: CNHRA-E-007666