Here's an article on the "progress" in ex-lawyer-journalist Zhang's case. It seems public pressure finally stimulated news of the case. Often we don't get to learn about the contents of the indictment until after the hapless accused has been convicted! 1/n https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/citizen-journalist-facing-jail-in-china-for-wuhan-covid-reporting-zhang-zhan

The report of the police-recommended sentence of four-five years shows the gravity with which the regime is taking the case. I can't help noting that this is not the only case of a former lawyer turned journalist being locked up over the Wuhan virus situation. 2/n

Every country's media needs journalists who have had some exposure to legal training--a year is usually enough. Tony Lewis set the standard for the NY Times beginning 1957, and Jack McKenzie followed for the Washington Post. 3/n

Harvard Law School used to award fellowships to make this possible. I remember how hopeful it seemed several decades ago when the PRC sent a delegation of reporters to the US for visits to American law schools in order to learn about legal education for reporters. 4/5

I never heard about whether that led to any training program. Now the PRC is disappearing and harshly punishing fully-trained lawyers who have attempted to put their training to one of the highest uses possible. 5/5