In a shocking development, the Twitter account of Wang Zhi’an, one of China’s most renowned investigative journalists, has been permanently suspended. Wang, who was blacklisted in his homeland for exposing corruption, land seizures, and medical malpractice, has been living in exile in Tokyo, Japan, where he started his online news report business on YouTube and Twitter, both banned in China.
Wang’s Twitter account, with hundreds of thousands of followers, was suspended on April 23rd, 2023, without any notification or explanation from the social media platform. His friends and followers are now expressing concern over the consistency of Twitter’s policies and are demanding an explanation from the platform.
Wang’s journey from a prominent on-air personality at China’s state broadcaster CCTV to a reporter in exile highlights the curtailment of critical reporting under Xi Jinping’s authoritarian rule. Despite his blacklisting, Wang has continued to expose corruption and wrongdoing in China, using social media platforms to reach a global audience.
Wang’s suspension raises questions about the freedom of the press and the ability of journalists to report on sensitive issues in China. It also underscores the need for social media companies to provide transparent and consistent policies regarding content moderation.
As the global community waits for an explanation from Twitter, Wang and his supporters remain determined to continue their fight for press freedom and transparency in China.
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