Poet Zhang was taken into police custody in May 2020 and charged with “inciting subversion of state power” a month later; authorities cited a video where he called for Xi Jinping to step down. In July 2022, after nine months of trial delays, Zhang was sentenced to six years in prison. Throughout this period, his family faced severe threats and harassment, further escalating the pressure on them due to his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government.