Human Rights Group Calls for Release of Gao Zhisheng

The president of a Hong Kong-based human rights group and the wife of detained Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng called for public support for Gaos release at a press conference in New York's Chinatown on Sunday. Gao has been missing for months. Our correspondent has this story.
Albert Ho is the president of China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party. He joined Gao Zhisheng's wife, Geng He, yesterday in New York to call for the renowned human rights attorney to be released from detention in China.

Gao Zhisheng became famous for representing people such as Falun Gong practitioners, Christians and victims of land confiscation. Communist authorities have since shut down his law practice.

And after he wrote a series of public letters condemning communist leaders for persecuting Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, he was placed under house arrest.

Gao has not been seen since February after he wrote another public letter to the United States Congress.

Chinese rights activists believe he was kidnapped by Chinese secret police.

Albert Ho says persecuting good people like Gao brings shame to China.

[Albert Ho, Gao Zhisheng Supporter]:
We want the world to be concerned for Chinese human rights lawyers and rights groups. These groups have the right to ask the Chinese regime to release Gao Zhisheng immediately, without any conditions. Give back his freedom and give back his dignity."

Gao's wife, Geng He, and their two children escaped China, arriving in the U.S. last month.

Miss He says she is concerned some people do not believe that Gao really wrote the series of open letters detailing the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and Christians.

[Geng He, Wife of Gao Zhisheng]:
They are real. The third open letter was written in December 2005. In November 2005, the Department of Justice sent an order to close his law firm. From there Gao went to Shadong in December 2005."

While there Gao spoke to Falun Gong practitioners who had been tortured by the Chinese communist officials. The reason was his hope to understand the kind of torture that Falun Gong practitioners endure so he could expose what is going on in the Mainland.

He was a top contender for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, before his disappearance.

NTD, New York.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• human rights
• Gao Zhisheng
• Geng He
• New York