Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Forcibly Taken by Police; Whereabouts Unknown

China Aid Association
(SHAANXI – January 24, 2009) Radio Free Asia reported that Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, who won a candidate for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, was forcibly taken from his home early in the morning on February 4 by a dozen police officers, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
Radio Free Asia spoke with one of Gao’s relatives who were eyewitnesses to Gao’s abduction.”Probably about three or four clock, we were still sleeping. The police entered directly to home, some of were uniformed. They did not say anything, just took him away.”
“The next day we went to see Gao in Jiaxian county [police station]. … He should have been there …We sent clothing for him. The police did not allow us to meet with him. …We cannot contact him. We are very anxious… His cell phone is disconnected, and does not even have a message.”
Gao Zhisheng is a former Chinese Communist Party member, Chinese army veteran and prominent Christian attorney. Since 2005, Gao has been repeatedly kidnapped, arrested, imprisoned and tortured by Chinese authorities for his work defending underground Christians (including Pastor Cai Zhouhua), persecuted Falun Gong and human rights activists. He, his wife and two children have been monitored closely by authorities for more than two years, and much of their contact with the outside world has been cut off.
Gao Zhisheng wrote and open letter on November 29, 2007 that he said would cause him to be kidnapped again.
Read Gao Zhisheng’s open letter dated November 29, 2007 and authorized to be released by his family on February 9, 2009 .
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