China Aid Association
China Releases One Christian Human Rights Lawyer, Detains Another
(Beijing – April 29, 2011) A day after Chinese and U.S. officials concluded fruitless talks on human rights in Beijing, the Chinese authorities on Friday released one Christian human rights lawyer who had been missing for 70 days and detained another, sources told ChinaAid. (Teng Biao, left)
Witnesses saw officers of the Domestic Security Department take away attorney Li Fangping as he was leaving the building where a group that assists AIDS victims, Yi Ren Ping, has its offices Friday at 5 p.m.
Two hours earlier, Dr. Teng Biao, a human rights lawyer and legal scholar who had been missing for 70 days, was returned home. Both Teng and Li are active members of the Chinese Christian Rights Defense Association.
“While we welcome the release of Dr Teng Biao, we are disturbed by China’s continuing pattern of letting one go and taking one in. If China wants to be seen as a responsible international partner, it cannot continue to play this game,” said ChinaAid founder and president Bob Fu.
“We appeal to the highest authority in China to release all arbitrarily detained Chinese citizens, including those courageous advocates for the rule of law and civil society such as attorney Li Fangping.”
At ChinaAid’s invitation, Teng and Li visited the United States in 2005 and 2009 respectively and met with fellow American lawyers, including Jerome Cohen of the New York University law school, and U.S. congressional leaders, including Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Randy Forbes (R- Va.) as well White House and State Department officials.
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
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Website: www.chinaaid.org
