FOR MORE than a year since Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was taken from his hometown, friends and family have waited anxiously for news of his whereabouts.
But now the outspoken activist, feared by some to be dead, appears to have re-emerged in circumstances as mysterious as his disappearance. Reporters and friends said he spoke to them by phone yesterday, saying he was living at a Buddhist landmark in Shanxi province.
Mr Gao’s disappearance in February last year caused international concern, particularly after the release of a graphic account of torture he said he had suffered at the hands of security officials.
Mr Gao told Reuters he had been released about six months ago and was at Wutai mountain, beloved of Buddhist pilgrims because of its many shrines. The 44-year-old said he wanted “a quiet life” and to rejoin his family.
But friends and human rights groups said they remained deeply concerned about his situation, since he seemed to be under surveillance and unable to speak freely. Although other dissidents have been detained for days or weeks without access to lawyers, it is rare for people to simply vanish for such a long period in China.
Phelim Kine, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: “In terms of high-profile dissidents and activists, we haven’t seen a case as serious as Gao’s. It is the most egregious in terms of the length of time, concerns about his safety due to [previous] torture, and the obstinacy of the Chinese government in refusing to provide any details.” While there were concerns that someone might have impersonated Mr Gao yesterday, Reuters said he was able to answer questions about previous conversations with the reporter and the venue of meetings they had.
Lawyer Teng Biao wrote on Twitter that he was convinced it was Mr Gao, noting the man he spoke to sounded like Mr Gao and made references to Mr Teng’s daughter. Mr Teng said Mr Gao had confirmed he had at one stage been in Urumqi, Xinjiang, at the Ye Ma International Business Clubhouse. Earlier this year, an official reference to him described him as “working in Urumqi”.
Human rights lawyer Li Heping, who also knows Mr Gao well, said: “It’s certainly him . . . I could tell from the way he spoke and the way he spoke to me.” But Mr Li added: “I believe he does not have freedom. He sounded like he wanted to hang up . . . I’m sure people around him are limiting what he can say. Secondly, he would not tell me exactly where he is when I suggested visiting him . . . We are very concerned.” – (Guardian service)