Top Human Rights Attorney’s law firm shut down in China
The Chinese Communist Regime shut down the law firm of a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Mr.Gao Zhisheng on
November 4, 2005 after he refused to take back an open letter he wrote to Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao last
month urging them to stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Mr. Gao was named one of the top 10 Chinese lawyers in 2001 by the Chinese Bureau of Justice and has been regarded as a
symbol for human rights in China. He has launched many landmark cases in China defending people’s lawful rights. In the
open letter to President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, Mr. Gao wrote,
“the persecution of Falun Gong compatriots by some local officials has already reached the point where they are doing
whatever they please. We cannot accept these brazenly inhumane, savage atrocities to occur in the society of mankind in
the 21st century… This evil catastrophe did not begin with you, but the catastrophe has continued while you two have led
the government.”
Amnesty International is concerned that this suspension will severely undercut the work of human rights activists in the
country.
ENDS