.png)
Chinese human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng. (The Epoch Times)
China’s human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been missing for a second time for nearly three months. At the end of March, after having disappeared for more than a year, he was allowed to communicate with the outside world. He vanished again when he went to Xinjiang Autonomous Region to visit his father-in-law. Gao’s family said that Gao has been missing for nearly three months now and no one knows where he is. The responsible government organizations refused to give any information on his current situation, saying that Gao is no longer being held by government officials.
Gao Yanfang, Gao’s sister who lives in Shandong province, told a Radio Free Asia reporter on Thursday, July 8 that since Gao disappeared on April 15th in Urumqi, she and Gao’s elder brother tried to learn Gao’s whereabouts from a government employee who had always accompanied Gao. Previously, when Gao’s family asked him, he always replied that Gao was fine and there was nothing to worry about. However, this government staff member has now stopped responding to their phone calls. Gao’s family tried every way they knew to reach him. When they finally talked with him over the phone, he said that he himself did not know Gao’s recent situation. Gao’s family are therefore extremely worried.
Gao Yanfang said: “Whenever he noticed the caller ID is from our family, he would not pick up the phone. We tried to call him using another cell phone, he picked up the phone and replied that he did not know anything. These people used to monitor my brother. When my brother disappeared before, at least we knew he was under the control of the government. Now the one time the phone call went through, they told us he is not being handled by government and that they themselves do not know.”
According to Gao Yanfang, Gao’s family did not understand what was going on, but they thought Gao was detained somewhere.
Gao’s friend, lawyer Li Heping looked for Gao at his residence in Beijing a number of times at the end of April, but could not find him. Li said that Gao is missing again, and nobody knows where he is now. Li thought the way the government handled this is not right.
“They made a person who is receiving world-wide attention disappear. It is simply too ridiculous. It is a crime with all eyes watching. Moreover, it is not an ordinary crime. It is the government that is committing a crime.”
Albert Ho Chun-yan of Hong Kong, Chairman of China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, believed that Gao’s emerging in March was the result of the group’s appeal to the United Nations. At that time, the British Foreign Minister visited Beijing and expressed concern about Gao. In addition, there was a rumor that Gao had passed away. Therefore, Beijing decided to have Gao make “public” appearance, to let everyone know that he was still alive. However, people noticed Gao’s poor heath and surmised that very likely he had suffered torture.
No one was allowed to talk with Gao Zhisheng in detail, and soon he was missing again. Albert Ho Chun-yan pointed out that today’s Chinese government is extremely tough on human rights lawyers and dissidents.
“We will continue to make an effort to unite lawyer organizations all over the world, I mean, non-government organizations, and talk to organizations of the government, to urge Beijing to pay attention to this issue.”
The Washington Post published an editorial on July 6, 'Disappearance of Chinese activist Gao Zhisheng Demands Action.'
“For years, Chinese lawyers like Mr. Gao have struggled to build the rule of law, case by case. The United States must support democratic processes and the authority of the legal system.” The article said.
Gao went to Urumqi from Beijing to visit his father-in-law on April 15th, according to his father-in-law Geng Yunjie during an interview with Radio Free Asia at the end of April. Gao stayed with him for six days and went back to Beijing on April 20, and has never been heard from since.
Gao was taken away by authorities last February from his hometown in Northern Shaanxi Province, and was completely separated from the outside world. In March this year, Gao was allowed to communicate with family and friends over the phone. On April 6, he went back to Beijing, and was able to accept interviews with foreign reporters and to meet with friends. Currently Radio Free Asia reporters are unable to reach him.
According to an information source, Gao was detained at Changping, the suburb of Beijing after he was taken from Shaanxi province. In June of last year, he was taken to Xinjiang Autonomous Region. In March this year, he stayed at Wutai Mountain of Shanxi Province.
The 44-year-old Gao was sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of “inciting to overturn state power” on December 22, 2006, with five years’ probation, and deprivation of political power for one year. He is officially still serving the probation period. Gao’s wife and children escaped to Thailand before he went missing, and later came to the U.S. with refugee status.
