Washington DC, September 9, 2010– Fears for his health and the safety of his family followed the release of human rights legend, Chen Guangcheng.
According to a report in today’s Washington Post, “Authorities stepped up their monitoring of Chen’s family in recent days, dispatching a dozen agents to watch his wife as she went grocery shopping the day before his return. On Thursday, men in plainclothes blocked the entrance to his village and relatives’ phones were frequently out of service.”
Chen is a legendary figure in China. Blind from birth, he taught himself law so he could defend victims of forced abortions and other human rights abuses. Chen has suffered mightily for his defense of the downtrodden by serving many years in prison where he underwent severe beatings and long periods of isolation. According to the Washington Post and other reliable sources, Chen is now is very poor health and it is unclear he will be able to resume his work.
Dr. Yang Jianli, President of Initiatives for China has called for donations of any amount to support Chen Guangcheng. “We cannot stand by and let the Chinese government crush those whose only crime is to defend the rights of others.” said Dr. Yang upon learning of Chen’s release. Initiatives for China recently created a campaign to support prisoners of conscience in China. In recognition of its grass roots work on behalf of political prisoners, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice awarded Initiatives for China a Front Line Grant to continue this effort. People are asked to join in this effort to keep the spirit of front line activist alive by contributing to this effort. Click here to make a tax deductible donation.