“You going to prison, that’s a dream. You’re not good enough for that.

Whenever we want you to disappear, you will disappear.”

— Police to Gao Zhisheng during his enforced disappearance between Feb. 2009 and Mar. 2010

On December 22, 2006, Gao Zhisheng, one of China’s most prominent human rights lawyers, was sentenced to three years for inciting subversion, with a five year reprieve and an additional year of deprivation of political rights. Today would have marked the end of his five-year probation—yet, Gao remains missing, held incommunicado since April 20, 2010.  Just 6 days shy of the expiration of this 5 year probation period, a Beijing court revoked Gao’s probation, declaring that he would serve his full sentence of 3 years, on account of “seriously violating probation rules.” The Committee to Support Chinese Lawyers calls upon Chinese authorities to provide a full accounting of Gao’s disappearance, a comprehensive explanation for his renewed detention, and confirmation as to Gao’s physical safety and well-being.