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Family’s Visit Confirms Chinese Dissident Is Alive Family’s Visit Confirms Chinese Dissident Is Alive
(about 1 hour later)
BEIJING — Family members of one of China’s most prominent dissidents, Gao Zhisheng, visited him in a prison in the western region of Xinjiang this month, according to the dissident’s older brother and a human rights advocacy group. The visit was the first confirmation in nine months that Mr. Gao was still alive. BEIJING — Family members of one of China’s most prominent dissidents, Gao Zhisheng, visited him in a prison in the western region of Xinjiang this month, according to Mr. Gao’s older brother and a human rights advocacy group. The visit was the first confirmation in nine months that Mr. Gao was still alive.
The group, New York-based Human Rights in China, said in a statement late Tuesday that Mr. Gao’s younger brother and his father-in-law visited Mr. Gao on Jan. 12, citing Mr. Gao’s wife. The older brother, Gao Zhiyi, confirmed the visit when reached by telephone on Wednesday, but he said he had no further details because the younger brother had not yet returned to the family’s hometown in Shaanxi Province. The group, Human Rights in China, based in New York, said in a statement late on Tuesday that Mr. Gao’s younger brother and his father-in-law visited him on Jan. 12, citing Mr. Gao’s wife. The older brother, Gao Zhiyi, confirmed the visit when reached by telephone on Wednesday, but said he had no further details because the younger brother had not yet returned to the family’s hometown in Shaanxi Province.
Foreign human rights advocates say they fear for Mr. Gao’s life since there has been no word on his well-being or whereabouts for long stretches of time. Foreign governments have condemned China for its harsh treatment of Mr. Gao over the years. Foreign human rights advocates say they fear for Mr. Gao’s life because there is no word on his well-being or whereabouts for long stretches of time. Foreign governments have condemned China for its harsh treatment of Mr. Gao over the years.
The previous family visit also took place at the prison in Xinjiang, called Shaya, on March 24, 2012. Human Rights in China said there was no information from this latest visit on a possible release date for Mr. Gao. The group said that during the latest visit, “Mr. Gao’s mind seemed clear, and he spoke normally.” The previous family visit also took place at the prison in Xinjiang, called Shaya, on March 24, 2012. Human Rights in China said there was no information from the latest visit on a possible release date for Mr. Gao. During that visit, the group said, “Mr. Gao’s mind seemed clear, and he spoke normally.”
It said the younger brother was told by the authorities not to talk with Mr. Gao about his case or prison conditions. The two were also barred from discussing Mr. Gao’s wife, Geng He, and two children, who fled to the United States in 2009 with the help of a Christian organization that spirited them to Thailand from China. It said the authorities told the younger brother not to talk with Mr. Gao about his case or prison conditions. The two visitors were also barred from discussing Mr. Gao’s wife, Geng He, and two children, who fled to the United States in 2009 with the help of a Christian organization that spirited them to Thailand from China.
The younger brother was also told not to give any interviews to the news media after the visit. The brother asked when the family would next be permitted to see Mr. Gao and was told the family had to “follow old ways,” according to the human rights group. The younger brother was also told not to give any interviews to the news media after the visit. He asked when the family would next be permitted to see Mr. Gao and was told that the family had to “follow old ways,” according to the human rights group.
Mr. Gao is a rights lawyer and devout Christian who was subjected to long periods of detention and what he called torture by security forces after he took on politically delicate cases. Those included defending ordinary Chinese whose land had been taken from them and given to developers, as well as persecuted members of Falun Gong, the banned spiritual movement. Mr. Gao was once a celebrated lawyer praised by the party and the state. He renounced his membership in the governing Communist Party in 2005 and denounced the government. Mr. Gao is a rights lawyer and a Christian who was subjected to long periods of detention and what he called torture by security forces after he took on politically delicate cases. Those cases included defending Chinese whose land had been taken from them and given to developers, as well as persecuted members of Falun Gong, the banned spiritual movement. Mr. Gao was once a celebrated lawyer praised by the state and the governing Communist Party. He renounced his membership in the party in 2005 and denounced the government.
In December 2011, the authorities revoked the suspension of a five-year prison sentence, just days before the sentence was to have been completed, and sent him to a prison in Xinjiang. The announcement said that Mr. Gao would be imprisoned for an additional three years for violating terms of his suspended sentence. But rights advocates called this a flimsy excuse to increase pressure on him. Mr. Gao had been in police custody during much of the so-called suspended prison sentence, which he was given in December 2006 after being convicted of “inciting subversion of state power.” In December 2011, the authorities revoked the suspension of Mr. Gao’s five-year prison sentence, just days before it was to have been completed, and sent him to a prison in Xinjiang. They said in their announcement that Mr. Gao would be imprisoned for three more years for violating the terms of his suspended sentence. But human rights advocates called this a flimsy excuse to increase pressure on him. Mr. Gao had been in police custody during much of the so-called suspended prison sentence, which he was given in December 2006 after being convicted of “inciting subversion of state power.”
Mr. Gao said he suffered excruciating torture when he was abducted by security officers and detained for 50 days in autumn 2007, during the period of the suspended prison sentence. Mr. Gao said he suffered excruciating torture when he was abducted by security officers and detained for 50 days in the fall of 2007, during the suspended sentence.