Protesters gathered at the Sydney Chinese Consulate on Wednesday August 23, calling for the immediate release of prominent human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, who was arrested by plainclothes policemen in Shandong Province, China, on Tuesday August 15.
"We are calling for Mr Gao's immediate and unconditional release," said Free China spokesperson Kelly Zhan.
"The democratic world should send a very clear message to the Chinese Communist regime…harassing, beating and arresting lawyers who are merely exercising their professional duties by representing their clients is shameful and absolutely unacceptable."
Mr Gao was known for defending clients persecuted by the Communist regime. He has been the most visible critic within China of the Communist regime for its persecution against Christians, Muslims and practitioners of the Falun Gong meditation practice.
Mr Gao was under house arrest and constant surveillance since his law firm was shut down last year by Beijing authorities.
Former Chinese diplomat, Mr Chen Yonglin, who defected from the Sydney Chinese Consulate in June last year, appealed to Australians to pay greater attention to human violations happening in China. "This is a regime that has completely lost its human nature," he said.
The Chinese Consulate refused attempts for dialogue with protesters and declined to comment.
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