Gao Zhishen

July 29, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC – On July 28, Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, spoke for the second time from the Senate floor regarding kidnapped Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng. Gao, who was last seen on February 4 being forcibly escorted away by Chinese security agents, has now been missing 175 days. In his speech, Senator Dorgan urged the Chinese government to reveal his whereabouts and justify the grounds for his continued detention. Senator Dorgan stated:

“I have written to the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, and received a letter back from him that was a nonanswer. I call on the Ambassador again to answer the questions: Where is Mr. Gao being held? Is Mr. Gao alive? What is the Chinese Government doing to this poor soul who had previously been tortured simply because he ran afoul of the state by speaking out and practicing law on behalf of those who are vulnerable in China?

“We call on the Chinese Government to give us information about Mr. Gao, to allow him access to a lawyer and to his family and to publicly state and justify the grounds for his continued abuse. The right to speak freely and to challenge the government, all of these are enshrined in the constitution in China. Yet it appears the Chinese Government and the Communist Party seem intent on upholding the violation of these rights in the case of Mr. Gao.  …

“I urge the government of China to disclose his whereabouts and justify the grounds for his continued detention. Once again, this is a photograph of a very courageous man, a very courageous Chinese lawyer, who has been incarcerated and tortured and now has been apparently abducted, perhaps killed. We do not know. I call on the Chinese Government to tell us what has happened to Mr. Gao.”

Senator Dorgan spoke for the first time from the Senate floor regarding Gao Zhishengs on April 23, and Gao Zhisheng’s wife, Geng He, and Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, were present.

To date, more than 106,000 concerned citizens in the U.S. and around the world have signed a petition on Gao Zhisheng’s behalf requiring the Chinese government to give an account of Gao’s whereabouts and ask for his immediate release.

ChinaAid calls all those concerned for Gao Zhisheng to sign the petition atwww.FreeGao.com and continue to pressure the Chinese government for his release. In addition, ChinaAid calls on all concerned Americans to contact their Senators and express their concern for Gao Zhisheng athttp://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

Read Senator Dorgan’s full speech.

Contact the Chinese embassy on behalf of Gao Zhisheng and ask for his immediate release and that the government give an account of his current whereabouts and condition.
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
3505 International Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 495-2000
Fax: (202) 588-9760

NOTE: If you are a citizen of another country, please click here to find the contact information of the Chinese embassy in your own nation http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/.

Visit www.FreeGao.com to advocate for Gao Zhisheng’s release: sign the petition; view the video; send e-mails to Chinese officials and find out more information about Gao Zhisheng.

ChinaAid grants permission to reproduce photos and/or information for non-fundraising purposes, with the provision that www.ChinaAid.org is credited. Please contact:Katherine@ChinaAid.org with questions or requests for further information.