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Missing Chinese dissident 'alive' | Missing Chinese dissident 'alive' |
(20 minutes later) | |
Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, missing for more than a year after being detained by police, has spoken to Western journalists. | Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, missing for more than a year after being detained by police, has spoken to Western journalists. |
He said he was living near Wutai mountain, a Buddhist landmark in northern Shanxi province. | He said he was living near Wutai mountain, a Buddhist landmark in northern Shanxi province. |
"I want to live a quiet life for a while," Mr Gao said by telephone. | |
He told Reuters news agency he had been released six months ago. He was abducted by police from a relative's house in February 2009. | He told Reuters news agency he had been released six months ago. He was abducted by police from a relative's house in February 2009. |
Reuters said it had taken steps to verify Mr Gao's identity. | Reuters said it had taken steps to verify Mr Gao's identity. |
Another human rights lawyer said he had also spoken to Mr Gao on Sunday. | |
"Most people belong with family, I have not been with mine for a long time. This is a mistake and I want to correct this mistake," Mr Gao told the AP news agency. | |
He then said he was not allowed to answer any more questions. | |
'Torture' | |
Mr Gao, a self-taught lawyer, has not always been at odds with the people who run China. He was once a member of the Chinese Communist Party. | |
In 2001 he was acclaimed as one of the 10 best lawyers in the country by a publication run by the Ministry of Justice. | In 2001 he was acclaimed as one of the 10 best lawyers in the country by a publication run by the Ministry of Justice. |
But he ran into trouble when he started to defend some of China's most disadvantaged groups, such as supporters of the banned spiritual movement, Falun Gong. | But he ran into trouble when he started to defend some of China's most disadvantaged groups, such as supporters of the banned spiritual movement, Falun Gong. |
Mr Gao's law practice was closed down in 2005. The government said one problem was that the lawyer had failed to tell officials of a change of address. | Mr Gao's law practice was closed down in 2005. The government said one problem was that the lawyer had failed to tell officials of a change of address. |
The following year he was given a suspended prison sentence for "inciting subversion". | The following year he was given a suspended prison sentence for "inciting subversion". |
He has previously said he had been tortured while in detention. |