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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Chinese dissident lawyer 'alive' | Chinese dissident lawyer '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. | "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, Li Heping, said he had also spoken briefly to Mr Gao on Sunday. | |
| GAO ZHISHENG TIMELINE 2005: Chinese authorities close down his law practice2006: given suspended prison sentence for "inciting subversion"2007: detained and allegedly tortured2009: disappears, apparently detained by the authoritiesMarch 2010: speaks by phone to fellow human rights lawyer and reporters Profile: Gao Zhisheng | GAO ZHISHENG TIMELINE 2005: Chinese authorities close down his law practice2006: given suspended prison sentence for "inciting subversion"2007: detained and allegedly tortured2009: disappears, apparently detained by the authoritiesMarch 2010: speaks by phone to fellow human rights lawyer and reporters Profile: Gao Zhisheng |
| His disappearance has sparked international concern, with calls from the US, the UK and the European Union for China to investigate his disappearance. | 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 Associated Press news agency. | |
| His wife and two children last year sought political asylum in the US. | |
| Mr Gao told AP he was not allowed to accept media interviews. | Mr Gao told AP he was not allowed to accept media interviews. |
| Friend and fellow lawyer Mr Li told the news agency that he believed Mr Gao was still being followed by the authorities. | |
| "I'm sure that the people around him are limiting what he can say," he said. "We are very concerned about his situation." | |
| '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. | 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. |