On January 13, 2006, renowned human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng was detained by Beijing police. Although he was released an hour later, this incident has caused widespread reactions both inside and outside of China. Nearly 100 different media outlets reported and investigated this incident.
Attorney Gao expressed his appreciation for the attention and support given to him by his friends all over the world. He hopes that the Chinese government will stop irrationally monitoring him, and would allow him to mourn his deceased mother, who passed away one year ago.
Hundreds of Reporters Seek to Interview Gao; More than 500 Supporters Call
By the morning of January 14, 2006, Mr. Gao received interview requests from over 100 overseas media, including The Epoch Times , New Tang Dynasty Television, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America (VOA), Agence France Presse (AFP), BBC, Japan’s Kyodo News, French Radio International (RFI), the New York Times , German Communications Center, and Sound of Hope. Numerous reporters told Gao, “If you were ever arrested by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government, then China would be creating international news!”
On January 13, over a hundred overseas organizations founded the Global Alliance to Support Attorney Gao Zhisheng with the purposes of formally demanding that the CCP immediately end the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners and their threats towards human rights lawyers, in addition to nominating Attorney Gao Zhisheng for the Nobel Peace Prize.
On the night of Mr. Gao’s release, his phone did not stop ringing for even a second as he received around 500 phone calls, many from people that he had never spoken with before. He had to disconnect his phone in order to rest. Mr. Gao expressed that it was beyond his own expectations, and most likely far beyond the expectations of the CCP authorities, that he would receive so much support.
Some Christians from Hebei and Anhui Provinces announced that in one hour they contacted over 600 people and that they have been continuously spreading the news. They encourage people to step up and protest against the CCP’s persecution.
One businessman from Xian City said, “If you were arrested, I would give up my business and fight with them to the end!”
Some of the callers said, “We are government officials and we are furious with the government!”
Many college students asked Mr. Gao, “What should we do now?” To which Mr. Gao answered, “I cannot speak for all Chinese people. Please do what you should do.”
A businessman from Henan Province called in saying, “Attorney Gao, I would not have called if they did not arrest you today, but now I must call. Actually there are a lot of people who support you in their hearts! All of my colleagues have read your articles. They have all quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.”
Plainclothes Officers Replaced by Policewomen
On January 13, the incident between the CCP regime and Gao Zhisheng rapidly generated responses internationally. On the morning of January 14, as Gao and his family left their home to go shopping, the plainclothes police who closely followed Gao Zhisheng hid their faces behind scarves when they saw Gao photographing them. The people at the grocery store, who have been continuously watching Gao Zhisheng and these plainclothes police for more than 70 days, laughed out loud, saying, “Thank goodness we have such a great neighbor who provides us with such good entertainment every day.” Attorney Gao said, “This really is a marvelous sight. Did you know that the national plainclothes police use women’s scarves to hide their faces?”
When Gao was about to leave his home for an interview with overseas media, he discovered that all the plainclothes officers had been replaced by females. According to Gao, each of them were pretty and around 24 or 25 years old. When attorney Gao took out the camera to photograph this new situation, these female plainclothes turned the other way to face the wall, in accordance with their training. The humor-loving attorney Gao could not resist this opportunity to crack a joke and asked these attractive plainclothes, “In your experience of tailing people, do I count as the most charming gentleman?”
Gao: I Wish to Mourn for My Mother Peacefully
According to Mr. Gao, the behavior of the plainclothes police over the last few days has been out of control. They appear to be insane and their behavior has become puzzling. In this kind of situation, it is difficult to predict whether or not they will become even more unbridled, or even resort to violence.
Attorney Gao states that all his actions are completely legal and fulfill the responsibility of an attorney.
Gao further stated that if the CCP had not subject him and his family to more than 70 days of terrorist and criminal treatment, he would never have had a reason to be publicly exposing the Communist regime’s misdeeds on a daily basis, as he is now.
The Chinese New Year is in a few days, and Mr. Gao plans to return to his hometown to pay filial piety to his mother at that time. Gao said, “I sincerely hope that the party still has human nature and will let me peacefully mourn for my mother and give me some time to calmly give her my heart.” Attorney Gao expressed that if a large portion of the Party tags along to monitor him, then he will not let his pen rest for even a day.
