As of September 20, it has been 37 days since renowned Chinese human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been detained under criminal investigation. According to law in China, the detention should not exceed 37 days. After this period of time the police should either release the litigant or issue an official arrest warrant and proceed to the next level of legal procedure. But Beijing police have not yet made any such moves.
On September 19, Beijing attorney Mo Shaoping obtained the power of attorney from Gao’s family and began acting as Gao’s defending attorney.
Mo and his assistant went to the Beijing Police Station and the Beijing No.2 Detention Center, to enquire about the whereabouts of Gao Zhisheng and requested to meet with the plaintiff. They also submitted their attorney’s certificates and related legal documents. According to Chinese law, authorities must respond within 48 hours.
Mo was told the result of his application will be known in the next 30 hours or so.
On the morning of September 20, an Epoch Times reporter called the Beijing Chaoyang District Police Station Legal Section to inquire about Mo Shaoping’s application. He was told by a policeman, “We can only tell his family, not others.”
Attorney Gao Zhisheng was detained on August 15 in the name of “suspicion of participating in criminal activities.” In the 37 days of Gao’s dentention, Gao’s wife, Geng He and their two children have all been under strict surveillance by Beijing police. They are not allowed to make contact with anybody. With regards to information about Gao’s location, documents authorizing detention, or his wife’s situation, no one including Gao’s relatives have been able to find out.
During this period, the authorities even tried to prevent Gao’s family from sending the documents for the power of attorney to the defending attorney. Two of Gao’s nephews were imprisoned for 16 days because of their involvement in the process.
Whether or not attorney Mo will be able to meet with Gao or even be told where Gao is being held is still up in the air, despite it being the correct legal procedure.
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