Persecuted Chinese Lawyer Kidnapped Again

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Sep 25, 2015

Persecuted Chinese Lawyer Kidnapped Again

Chinese Christian rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, has been detained again by the Chinese government for speaking out about the torture he faced while imprisoned.

Gao stated that he used to be afraid of what the Chinese officials could do to him, but he has overcome his fear and is now steadfast in the mission he says God has given him to stand up for Christians and other persecuted groups.

"Those who persecuted me have used every means possible over the past nine years to break my spirit," Gao said. "Life in prison was absolutely terrible on a physical level... When I was tortured for the first time I was afraid, really afraid. But the second time I was not, because it's a matter of perception. Why was I not afraid? Because I knew that fear would not help, but cause more oppression and cruelty."

According to Christian Today, Gao was initially sentenced to three years in prison with five years of probation for “subversion.”

During that time, he said he was tortured three times. Chinese officials used such brutal means of torture as hitting him with electrified batons and sticking a toothpick in his genitals. The government also shut down his law practice in Beijing.

After serving this sentence, Gao was sentenced to another three years in prison for supposedly breaking the terms of his probation. He was released in August 2014, but was under constant supervision.

Gao’s wife and family are in the U.S. When asked if he wanted to escape to another country for safety, Gao stated, "I thought about giving up and giving my time to my family, but it's the mission God has given me.”

Gao says he is ready to be tortured again in pursuit of the mission God has for him.

Publication date: September 25, 2015



Persecuted Chinese Lawyer Kidnapped Again