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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

China official says missing rights lawyer 'where he should be'

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu stated in a press conference Thursday that Chinese human rights lawyer and activist Gao Zhisheng is "where he should be." Ma stated that holding Gao in Chinese custody since February 2009 comports with the law. The official version of the press conference transcript omitted the exchange between the media and Ma over Gao's situation. Chinese authorities have shown reticence to discuss Gao's case, but made the recent statements under mounting demands from rights groups that Gao be located after being reported missing since September. Gao drew international attention in September 2007 when he wrote a letter to the US Congress requesting assistance in improving human rights in China. Gao, who has also defended Christians and coal miners in China, claimed that he was tortured after his arrest in 2007. Gao was originally part of the Chinese Communist Party and handled prominent cases involving the outlawed Falun Gong movement, but fell into disfavor with the government in 2006 when he was convicted of subversion and placed under house arrest. China has long received criticism from watchdog groups for its treatment of rights activists such as Gao.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 22, 2010 (boomark / email).