International Effort Brings Attention to Gao Zhisheng’s Case

International Effort Brings Attention to Gao Zhisheng’s Case
OSLO. December 9, 2010/ChinaAid.org/ — On International Human Rights Day this Friday, Dr. Liu Xiaobo will be awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo. President of ChinaAid Bob Fu was given the honor of an invitation to attend the ceremony. Although many will travel from across the globe to attend the ceremony, the honored guest, Dr. Liu, will be continuing his 11-year prison sentence in a dark cell in China.
To coincide with these two major events, ChinaAid is mobilizing an international effort to continue to raise awareness about the plight of missing human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 and 2010. Fu, in Oslo, will be joined by a number of European human rights activists, lawyers, leaders of nongovernmental organizations and citizens to deliver nearly 150,000 signatures to Chinese embassies and consulates around the world. He will also meet with Norwegian Parliament members and other world leaders to press for religious freedom and rule of law in China.
The following is a list of those who are either personally submitting the petition or helping to coordinate this international effort:
Amsterdam – Mona Zhimin Tang, atelierchina@live.nl or +32-14-708516; Willlem Amendt, willemamendt@wanadoo.nl
Auckland – Sandy Gallen, sandy@persecution.co.nz
Brasilia – Amanda Machado (contact Tracy Oliver, Tracy@ChinaAid.org or 267-210-8278)
Brussels – Mona Zhimin Tang, atelierchina@live.nl or +32-14-708516; Dennis Barbion
Berlin – Zhang Jian, Jesusloveyou64@hotmail.com
London – Kiri Kankhwende, Kiri@csw.org.uk or +44 (0) 7823 329663; Matthew Price, international@lawcf.org
Los Angeles – Elizabeth Howland (contact Tracy Oliver, Tracy@ChinaAid.org or 267-210-8278)
Mexico City – Linda Picard Moreno, iglesiaperseguidamex@hotmail.com; Linda Asesora, ipmxvom@hotmail.com
Oslo – Lisa Winther, winther@nmio.no or +47 47416202
Paris – Nicolas Duval, nicolas.duval@neuf.fr
Chuncheon, South Korea – Judette Saintil (contact Tracy Oliver, Tracy@ChinaAid.org or 267-210-8278)
Sydney – Rev. John Wilson and Ray Wadeley, jwilson@persecution.com.au or +61-406421552;
Tokyo – Cintron Crankfield (contact Tracy Oliver, Tracy@ChinaAid.org or 267-210-8278)
Washington D.C. – Tara Plochocki (contact Tracy Oliver, Tracy@ChinaAid.org or 267-210-8278)
Gao, not heard from since April 20, is believed to be in the hands of the Chinese government. The past few months have been hectic for his relatives. As they search for
answers, they are either met with opposition or silence.
This international effort is sure to bring worldwide attention to this case and strengthen the effort to free Gao Zhisheng.
“I applaud the decision of the Nobel Peace Committee for its right decision to award Dr. Liu Xiaobo for his brave advocacy for basic freedom for Chinese citizens,“ said Fu, „but the fact that hundreds of thousands of human rights defenders like Gao Zhisheng, peaceful house church believers and other faithful as well as innocent petitioners are still suffering forced disappearance to imprisonment shows the international community should do more to hold the repressive Chinese government more accountable.“
For more information, please visit:
www.chinaaid.org