ICC Note: Christian Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has disappeared from his residence (he was under house arrest) since August 13. His older brother, Gao Zhiyi was brought in by police on August 26 and briefly detained before being released. Gao’s supporters believe the detention prevented his brother from being inquired of Gao’s whereabouts.
08/29/2017 China (Radio Free Asia) – The brother of missing Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was summoned and briefly held by police at the weekend in an apparent move to silence criticism of authorities’ handling of the lawyer’s disappearance, sources said.
Gao Zhiyi, Gao Zhisheng’s older brother, was brought in by police on Aug. 26 and held for “a few hours” before being released, according to a tweet on social media by Gao Zhisheng’s daughter Geng Ge, who lives in the U.S. with her mother Geng He.
Reached by a reporter by phone, Gao Zhiyi declined to speak, saying only “Why do you need to ask me anything?” before hanging up the phone.
Ai Wu, a member of the Gao Zhisheng Concerned Group, based in Europe, said that Gao Zhiyi had likely been detained in order to “zip up his mouth on the question of Gao Zhisheng’s whereabouts.”
“Police may also may want to prevent Gao Zhiyi from meeting with other activists who came to their place to help look for Gao Zhisheng,” she said.
Gao Zhisheng, 53, who was being held under house arrest in the northern province of Shaanxi after suffering long periods of incarceration and torture at the hands of police, has not been seen or heard from since Aug. 13, his wife Geng He told RFA in an earlier report.
…
