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11/04/2005
Top Law Firm
for Human Rights Suspended After Filing Parole Papers for Jailed Beijing
Church Leader MIDLAND, Texas, Nov. 4 /Christian Wire Service/ --China Aid Association learned that November 4, 2005, a top law firm in Beijing known for defending human rights was ordered closed for one year by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice. According to reliable reports, Mr. Gao Zhisheng, the director of Beijing Shengzhi Law Firm, received a formal government notice that all of his law firm operations are suspended for one year. Hours before receiving the closure notice, Mr. Gao filed parole documents with the Beijing People's Court of Haidian District for Ms. Xiao Yunfei, the wife of jailed house church leader Pastor Cai Zhuohua. He is one of the defense lawyers for Pastor Cai, his wife Ms. Xiao Yunfei and two other family members who were arrested last September. The Chinese government accused them of "illegal business practices" for printing and distributing hundreds of thousands of copies of the Bible and other Christian literature. They are being held following their trial and awaiting a verdict. In an interview with Bob Fu, president of CAA the morning of November 4 following the parole paper filing he stated that the arrests of Pastor Cai and other family members and the more than one year continuous detention following a trial without a verdict is illegal according to Chinese law. It's widely believed that the retributive actions taken against Mr. Gao and his law firm by the Chinese government is due to his active role in defending human rights and religious freedom cases like Pastor Cai's case. He also defended several other high profile cases including persecuted Falun Gong practitioners. After days of intensive investigations and interviews with numerous victims, he issued an open letter to both Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao a few weeks ago demanding that they stop persecuting peaceful Falun Gong practitioners. "It is a very dark day and a devastating blow to the rule of law in China," said Bob Fu, President of CA. "Instead of holding the human rights and religious freedom violators accountable, the Chinese government chooses to suppress these conscientious defenders of human rights." People of conscience around the world are urged to pray for and protest against the barbaric actions by these related government agencies. Emails and phone calls of encouragement can be sent at the following address: Mr. Gao Zhisheng (高智晟) +86-10-81990759 Email: gaozhisheng@263.net Issued by China Aid Association, Inc. November 4, 2005 Note: If the following Chinese language version is not legible--it is available online at: www.earnedmedia.org/caa1104.htm 对华援助协会新闻稿 Contact: Bob Fu, China Aid Association, 267-205-5210, 432-689-6985, bobfu@ChinaAid.org 北京著名维权律师事务所被当局强行停业；律师申请法院为家庭教会领袖取保候审 德州美德兰（对华援助协会11月4日） 对华援助协会获悉, 北京市司法局于11月4日宣布对北京市晟智律师事务所进行停业整顿一年，立即执行。11月4日上午高智晟律师刚刚为家庭教会领袖蔡卓华的妻子肖云飞到海淀区人民法院办理了取保候审手续。 据悉此举动旨在打击报复高智晟律师为维权和信仰自由所作的努力。今年十月有关当局向高的合伙人施压，迫使他们离开其事务所。 高智晟公开信:停止迫害自由信仰者 改善同中国人民的关系. http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2005/10/200510190023.shtml 对华援助协会特别吁请。希望各界 正义人士采取具体行动以电话,和信件向中国有关当局表达关注.并鼓励高律师。高智晟 01081990759（小灵通）gaozhisheng@263.net (前北京市委党校讲师, 中国家庭教会牧师, 威斯敏德神学院哲学博士候选人): 傅希秋 2005年11月4日 于美国德州美德兰市
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