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| Chen Guangcheng brother claims government-hired thugs attacked him | Chen Guangcheng brother claims government-hired thugs attacked him |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The eldest brother of the Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has said he was beaten up by two men he said were government-hired thugs. | The eldest brother of the Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has said he was beaten up by two men he said were government-hired thugs. |
| The alleged attack on Thursday marks an escalation in the harassment of Chen's family. Their treatment has already received prominent attention from the US in recent weeks and could cause further friction between Beijing and Washington over human rights. | The alleged attack on Thursday marks an escalation in the harassment of Chen's family. Their treatment has already received prominent attention from the US in recent weeks and could cause further friction between Beijing and Washington over human rights. |
| Chen Guangfu said he was beaten by unidentified men in what appeared to be the latest incident of harassment of the family since mid-April, around the anniversary of his brother's escape from 19 months of house arrest. | Chen Guangfu said he was beaten by unidentified men in what appeared to be the latest incident of harassment of the family since mid-April, around the anniversary of his brother's escape from 19 months of house arrest. |
| Chen Guangfu, 56, said the pair punched and chased him as he was heading home to his village of Dongshigu, Shandong province. | Chen Guangfu, 56, said the pair punched and chased him as he was heading home to his village of Dongshigu, Shandong province. |
| The men, who appeared well-dressed and in their 20s, according to Chen, jumped out of a black car and hit him repeatedly on the head. He said he was not seriously injured in an attack lasting several minutes. | The men, who appeared well-dressed and in their 20s, according to Chen, jumped out of a black car and hit him repeatedly on the head. He said he was not seriously injured in an attack lasting several minutes. |
| "I started shouting and running away from them at the same time," he told Reuters by telephone, minutes after the alleged incident happened. | "I started shouting and running away from them at the same time," he told Reuters by telephone, minutes after the alleged incident happened. |
| "This is a continuation of what has been happening to me since 18 April," Chen said, adding that he the men "didn't appear to be farmers". | "This is a continuation of what has been happening to me since 18 April," Chen said, adding that he the men "didn't appear to be farmers". |
| Police in Linyi city, which has authority over Dongshigu, could not be reached for comment. | Police in Linyi city, which has authority over Dongshigu, could not be reached for comment. |
| Chen recently told Reuters that security personnel had carried out a nightly harassment campaign, throwing rocks, bottles and dead poultry at his house for 12 nights in a row. | Chen recently told Reuters that security personnel had carried out a nightly harassment campaign, throwing rocks, bottles and dead poultry at his house for 12 nights in a row. |
| His brother Chen Guangcheng, who made international headlines last year when he escaped house arrest, finding refuge at the US embassy in Beijing, called on the Obama administration last week to ensure his family in China was treated fairly. | His brother Chen Guangcheng, who made international headlines last year when he escaped house arrest, finding refuge at the US embassy in Beijing, called on the Obama administration last week to ensure his family in China was treated fairly. |
| The activist's decision to take refuge in the embassy was deeply embarrassing for China, and led to a diplomatic tussle before Beijing allowed him to fly to the US with his wife and child. | The activist's decision to take refuge in the embassy was deeply embarrassing for China, and led to a diplomatic tussle before Beijing allowed him to fly to the US with his wife and child. |
| The US secretary of state, John Kerry, tried calling his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss a nephew of Chen's who has been imprisoned. Wang was not available, the state department said last week. | The US secretary of state, John Kerry, tried calling his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss a nephew of Chen's who has been imprisoned. Wang was not available, the state department said last week. |
| Chen Kegui had been diagnosed with appendicitis and urgently needs medical care, said his father, Chen Guangfu, but he had not been offered surgery for the condition. | Chen Kegui had been diagnosed with appendicitis and urgently needs medical care, said his father, Chen Guangfu, but he had not been offered surgery for the condition. |
| Chen Guangcheng is a self-schooled legal advocate who campaigned against forced abortions. He was jailed for four years on charges that he and his supporters said were spurious, and then held in his village home for 19 months after being released. | Chen Guangcheng is a self-schooled legal advocate who campaigned against forced abortions. He was jailed for four years on charges that he and his supporters said were spurious, and then held in his village home for 19 months after being released. |
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