Release International

The campaign for the release of Beijing lawyer Gao Zhisheng is gathering pace – as Release sources suggest he may be suffering torture.

Release partner ChinaAid has launched an online petition calling on the Chinese authorities to release Gao, who was detained on February 4 at his relatives' home in Shaanxi province (7x7, February 24, 2009). His family do not know where he is.

His wife Geng He recently released a letter that Gao had written two years previously, detailing abuse he suffered in detention in 2007. In that letter, Gao spoke out about 50 days of torture he endured – despite official warnings that he should keep quiet. Release sources suggest that he may be suffering similar abuse now.

As 7x7 reported on March 24, Gao's wife and children – their 16-year-old daughter Geng Ge and son Gao Tianyu, who is five – have fled to the US.

Gao rose to international prominence after taking on the case of Pastor Cai Zhuohua, who was jailed for three years in 2005 for printing Christian literature. Gao, a relatively new Christian at the time, reported then that officials had threatened to kill him (7x7, December 6, 2005). In 2007, Gao, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, was himself given a three-year jail sentence, suspended for five years, for 'inciting subversion'.

ChinaAid is also requesting prayer for Alimjan Yimit, the Uyghur Christian from Xinjiang province detained since January 2008 on suspicion of leaking state secrets abroad (7x7, February 19, 2008). Alimjan was reportedly seen at Nongsanshi Hospital in Kashgar, near his prison, on March 31, and eyewitnesses say he cried out repeatedly, 'I'm sick. Tell my lawyer to come quickly to see me.' His hands were bound and he was escorted by police. Alimjan's lawyer had been allowed to see him the previous week for only the second time since his arrest; Alimjan was then 'in excellent health', his lawyer said.

(Sources: ChinaAid, Release International)

• Pray for the immediate release of Gao Zhisheng and Alimjan Yimit. Pray that both men will stay true to Jesus and that their families will know God's presence.
• Act by signing ChinaAid's online petition calling on the Chinese authorities to release Gao Zhisheng. Go to: www.FreeGao.com

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