While CAPA held their silence for a week, and none of the larger media outlets carried related reports, some platforms like 头条 and Tencent did allow articles of Mr Li on their platform. It’s worth noting that Weibo, Tencent and Headlines Today 头条 are all part of CAPA’s participating ‘alliance’ of platforms. This is not the exhaustive list of all the companies who are a part of CAPA’s members.
On the end of day on DEC 1, CAPA finally released an article using their extensive ‘network’ of media outlets, which states that their blacklist process is not mandatory and platforms are not forced to enforce their ‘suggestion’. CAPA claims that the punishment will only take effect within the group of companies who are a part of their association – which is a long, extensive list. They also released a statement of warning regarding damage to their association’s reputation by certain parties, to which Mr Li fearlessly acknowledged to meet them in court.
This same article was revealed later to have been written by one of CAPA’s ‘own’ reporters who was part of their committee, which made for a conflict of interest.
On Dec 3, fans read a heart-rending letter from Zhang Zhehan’s mum, who thanked Mr Li for taking the risk and giving them an outlet to speak out. Perhaps in their way to respect the ban on ZZH, he did not try to circumvent this nor give them a reason to suspend Mr Li’s account if he was the one who ‘spoke’.
Teddyfoxfluff who had written a brilliant clarification post for Zhang Zhe Han which was shared by the What’s On Weibo editor, has also did an english translated version here.
“一个来自母亲的心声
大家好！我叫张霞，是演员张哲瀚的母亲，也是有36年党龄的老党员。儿子因为2018年3月份在日本旅游时拍的樱花照事件，遭遇了今年8月13日之后史上前所未有的最强劲的网暴，我想说说这事给我和儿子带来的冲击以及心灵的创伤。
8月13日儿子还在上海工作，之前也有一直以各种原因黑他谩骂攻击他的各种言论，不堪入目，但到了813之后就达到了高峰，铺天盖地的一边倒的谩骂，汉奸、间谍、叛徒、卖国贼等等，在狂风暴雨似的网络舆论攻陷下，不到三天时间就遭到了全网封杀，其中修改百度词条，篡改历史，编排故事，人肉家人，假编家世，构陷造谣谩骂，甚至把对他的造谣写入试卷进入课堂，连他的名字在各大社交平台都是禁忌词……，他十多年为之努力为之奋斗的梦想及成就不仅被抹得了无痕迹，而且全网均是一边倒的黑他的文稿，正向的，他曾经爱党爱国的言论都没有了，他的作品也都下架了。儿子跟我说，他没有进靖国神社，没有参观，更没有参拜，网络信息是不实的，他说他愿意接受组织的调查。我想，如果因为几张照片可以判定一个人的品行，那么他还有很多爱国的照片、为国参赛争光，为社会做公益事业的记录，他正向、爱国、敬业、努力的一面难道不足以证明他的正能量，他的爱国之心吗？他是被舆论定罪，被网络判刑的，对他的指控大多来源于网络未经审核确认的信息，给出的定论也没有经过必要的调查和核实，对于广泛传播的造谣不实信息，我们也没有澄清的机会，对此，我们深感无力和悲哀。但从大局出发，为了不给国家添麻烦，我们母子一直压抑着内心极度的痛苦，坚持要求自己不去发声，不给政府部门添麻烦，我们相信党和国家会在调查取证之后，以事实为依据给出正确的判断和结论。但作为母亲，我真的不能接受我的儿子就这样被污名化了。他才三十岁啊！他的未来，事业和前途就毁于几张三年多前的照片！不仅如此，他还要活在别人的冷眼辱骂中！此次回家，他见到我的第一句话：“妈妈，很惭愧，我30岁了还让你操心”我泪流满面，他却说“哭什么啊，我身体不是好好的吗？”他的健康乐观对我是最大的安慰！可他喜欢的小侄子年仅四岁，不敢面对他，说叔叔是坏人，一直捂着脸不敢看他。儿子见状瞬间躲到房间哭了、流泪了……他平时真的是很坚强的人，但这一刻他真的是崩溃了。我作为母亲看在眼里，痛心欲绝，那一刻我仿佛听到自己的心被撕裂的感觉！我是母亲，我把他抚养长大，国家也培养了他，正当可以报效祖国的好年华他就这么被行业的恶性竞争，网络舆论给扼杀了！
儿子生长在一个党员之家，父母都是党员（他的父亲2016年因病去世），他外公也是司法部门的领导干部，对党忠心耿耿，对工作兢兢业业，早年因工作过度劳累，突发心肌梗塞倒在工作岗位上。我这一代6姐弟就有4名中共党员一名政协委员，我儿子这一代5个成年孩子就有三名党员，都在各个领域为党工作，我们全家都热爱党热爱祖国！儿子是在党的温暖的怀抱中长大的。我一直教育他热爱党热爱祖国，把老一辈的优良品质传承下去，教育他正直善良，勇敢坚强，勤奋努力，儿子耳闻目睹基本上都是正向的教育，他不完美，他有缺点，但他没有污点，那些说我是日本人的情妇，儿子是日本人的混血儿，我注册的亚太荣（是一家生产自拍杆的小型企业，和日本没有半点关系，因为亏损早就注销了）也污名为日资企业，等等，一切强加在我们身上的日本元素都是故意诽谤污辱我们的！
这三个多月我们生活在心惊胆战，诚惶诚恐中，愤怒痛苦悲哀伤感无助，儿子不敢出门，而我看到所有的人都会心生羡慕之情，我感到这么挣扎屈辱着活下去太痛苦了，甚至想以结束自己的生命来唤醒人们善良之心。但儿子一直宽慰我，要我相信党相信国家，还反过来教育我：你还是老党员了，我们一定要相信正义会迟到，但绝对不会缺席！儿子的话点醒了我，让我坚强起来！坚信党和国家会有正确的判断，为我们正本清源，还事实真相，并给予生活和事业的出路。
我愿再次发誓：如果我儿子去了鬼社，我全家愿意去仆死！我以党性人性担保我说的一切都是真实！谢谢大家，谢谢李学政的冒险发言！”
This touching open letter, seeking for a chance to be let the truth be known. The post had over 1.3 million likes by the next day, but as I re-visited the same post on Dec 22, we can see the likes had been reduced. However, the repost and comments have been maintained.
International fans went to the shrine website, and it was clear that during the period of ZZH’s allege ‘visit’, the main shrine had been closed.
Meanwhile, international new outlets did pick up on this developing story in the coming days.
Mr Li updated that it was indeed ‘Actor Zhang’ who had sent a legal representative on his behalf to the CAPA office in Beijing to submit his appeal, had not gotten further information from the association regarding his appeal process nor any status update.
正是你们的公开联合网络惩戒，这位张姓演员受到了比刑法处罚还暴力的社会死亡，他竟然突然失去了姓名权，全网不能买东西的全世界只有两个人，一个是臭名昭著的法西斯分子“希特勒”，另外一位就是咱们中国的张z瀚，而和这位演员同名同姓的全国人民中还有两千多位啊，他们一样成了无辜的受害者，几乎全部社死。张姓演员妈妈在我微博发布的哭诉信感动了无数善良的人，目前光微博转发量就高达十三万，点赞数近一百四十万，阅读量一千万，近九万热情而又愤怒的评论。
DEC 5 803am POST
On this same day, netizens found out that one of the most vocal accounts from Bsite ( b站up主) who had accused ZZH of going to pay respects at the Y shrine, had himself emigrated to Japan with his entire family at the end of November. It seemed that he had openly admitted about slandering ZZH with various rumors, now that he thinks he is free and clear in Japan, out of the reach of China’s laws.
Hired guns have not ceased with their efforts to smear Mr Li’s intentions on ‘speaking up’ for ZZH. From trying to link him to the production department which produced Retro Detective ( another dept from Golden Shield ) to going as far as spreading rumors that he had accepted money from Vicky Zhao to help ‘her actor’. He is frustrated that these rumors have no obvious sources to chase down legally, but he has expressed that he is open to being investigated and dared CAPA to do the same. By the end of day, rumors are even being spread that he is not the 主任 of 金盾影视中心, which he thought was too ludicrous to acknowledge, but felt he had to clarify.
By Dec 7, in an effort to force Mr Li to cease and desist, some unseen forces have begun to exert political pressure on him. It also came to his attention, how some horrible and uncivil weibo accounts, who had openly cursed ZZH, have been ironically invited to be speakers at certain web events for certain coincidental media outlets, ‘friendly’ to CAPA.
Even Mr Li seemed very upset the level of depravity from this particular weibo account, who had no qualms about hoping ZZH would k*ll himself. He urged Actor Zhang to sue such antis. If I were to view this dispassionately, I can understand fully why ZZH is reluctant to do so. Other than precious time and finances involved, the ‘winning’ of such cases does not really help him. Past examples of suing antis have shown that, if he were to go ‘too hard’ on these guilty parties, he will also be judged negatively by the general public. And there are just so many out there. Unless the internet climate becomes a healthier place where people are forced to be more responsible to their words, there will be no clear end to this kind of cyber harassment.
It was announced on DEC 23 that CAC will be proceeding to tackle falsified ratings, Antis and water army.
Mr Li cautions that, using sentiment as a trial to judge people 舆论定罪 is not something that the general public should ignore. And he feels that CAPA has overstepped in their authority in their handling of ZZH’s ‘scorched-earth’ boycott with their hundreds of CAPA members. With so many platforms under their control, all eagerly taking part in this ‘cancellation’, which in turn resulted in affecting 2000 people with the same name. Not only did ZZH cease to have an online presence with his works de-platformed, he was also unfairly subsequently denied of service by many such companies. There were tests made which suggests mobile phones like H**w** refused to accept ZZH as a nickname and shopping sites like T**B** won’t accept his name as a recipient. This situation has finally seemed to have been lifted from TB on Dec 24, after some anxious testing was carried out by concerned netizens.
Dec 11 Mr Li had to once again reiterate that he is not ‘fighting on behalf of disgraced celebrities’. He stated that he felt that this particular artiste deserves a chance to appeal against his punishment and if he was a victim, the lawful society should not allow such crushing disciplinary action taken against an innocent citizen. And in this case, even his mother was met with web violence that has extended into daily living.
On Dec 15, an event that shocked netizens as well as rocked the law society in China as they bore witness to what appeared to be deliberate disruptions from platform to platform, of the second live streaming of a law society 洪范法律与经济研究所 which had been discussing about the law and punishments meted out to disgraced celebs. The first streaming on Dec5 went unhindered when the guest was a manager of a female star, but it definitely raised eyebrows when this happened when the guest was Mr Li. The law society’s weibo and Bsite accounts was suspended, with weibo handing out a 5 day suspension period but an extended unspecified period from Bsite.
Thankfully the top rated comments in this post are all impartial comments which seeked for fairness and urged others not to conflate the matter of simple tourist photos with ill-intentioned political lenses.
Once again on Dec 23, concerned netizens shared more detailed official documents released by NRTA and MCT which clearly stated that ZZH is not in any blacklist based on their recommendations.
DEC 24
We can only pray that there will be more good news to come and we will be able to see ZZH’s works restored to platforms soon. So like this netizen who asked… which platform would take the first step?
A GIFT ON DEC 24
It seems that the Beijing Chaoyang police branch has accepted his case, but will take 7 days to confirm if they will be proceeding with criminal investigations 刑事案件.
Let’s all pray for the best!
To no one’s surprise, the hashtag #北京朝阳警方受理张哲瀚报案# was hotter than the hot search topics but never made it to the charts, and it was deleted after a few hours.
Let’s see how long those behind this can try to suppress the truth!
On Dec 22, another celebrity had made a police report.
Her hashtag is still ‘alive’. #北京警方受理佟丽娅报案#
Meanwhile, different iterations of ZZH making a police report have been deleted systematically within hours. #北京朝阳警方受理张哲瀚报案# #北京警方受理张哲瀚案件#
All I can say is：您品。您细品。
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Zhang Zhehan 