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| Chinese dissident lawyer 'alive' | |
| (10 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. | "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. | Another human rights lawyer said he had also spoken to Mr Gao on Sunday. |
| His disappearance has sparked international concern, with calls from the US, the UK and the European Union for China to investigate his disappearance. | |
| "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. | "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. |
| His family last year sought political asylum in the US. | |
| Mr Gao told AP he was not allowed to accept media interviews. | |
| 'Torture' | 'Torture' |
| Mr Gao, a self-taught lawyer, 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. | |
| 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. | He has previously said he had been tortured while in detention. |