By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
BEIJING, China – After being missing for over a year, any presumed dead by many, China’s well known rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, appears to be alive.
After defending members of China’s banned Falun Gong spiritual organization, and writing openly about China’s public leaders and their “brutal and illegal persecution of Falun Gong members,” Gao disappeared on February 4, 2009. He was abducted by an unknown group from a relative’s home in Shanxi province. At the time of Gao’s disappearance, his wife and children had already escaped from their home, and were en route to Bangkok where they applied for asylum in the United States.
Initially, Gao’s family had feared he was dead, after a cryptic comment from police that he had “lost his way and gone missing” in September. China’s government has been under international pressure to say where Gao Zhisheng is and whether he is alive and well. Despite repeated requests, Chinese authorities have provided little information about his fate.
Gao gave a telephone interview with Reuters and another dissident lawyer, and he stated that he was released about sixth months ago after his initial disappearance. He confirmed that he had survived difficult circumstances, and that he was living near Wutai mountain, a sacred Buddhist landmark in coal-rich Shanxi province.
Reuters reported that another human rights lawyer, Li Heping, who had a lot of contact with Gao before he was jailed, confirmed that he spoke with Gao, and that the voice was in fact his. Gao’s brother, Gao Zhiyi also claimed to have spoken to his brother on the telephone within the past three weeks and said:, “I know that he’s fine.” Gao Zhiyi said the conversation was brief, and his brother did not say where he was. He claimed to have had three or four such calls since Gao Zhisheng vanished.
Gao’s account of surviving the harsh conditions and torture imposed on him is in stark contrast with a recent public press conference given just one week ago. When asked about the whereabouts of Gao, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said, “Gao Zhisheng was sentenced for subverting state power. His personal rights have been protected according to Chinese law. There is no so-called torture upon him.”
Conflicting statements and murky accounts of the past year make it clear that there remains a large amount of uncertainty and mysteriousness about the events surrounding Gao Zhisheng disappearance and recent resurface.
For more information, please see:
Reuters – Well-known missing Chinese rights lawyer alive – 27 March 2010
The Associated Press – Missing lawyer says he is living in northern China – 27 March 2010
BBC World News – Missing Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng ‘is fine’ – brother – 17 March 2010
