(Sept. 07, 2005)Statement is released by: gmwq.org

Chinese Rights Defenders issued a strong protest of Shandong police kidnapping Mr. Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights campaigner, known for his persistent work for promoting the rights of the handicapped and rights of rural villagers in Linyi, Shangdong. Mr.Chen recently exposed the widespread use of violence in local official family planning campaigns.

On September 6, Mr. Chen was grabbed by Shandong security officers in the street of Beijing, where Mr. Chen was visiting friends. Mr. Chen is now detained at undisclosed location in South Linyi back in Shandong Province. Mr. Chen sent a message to his wife from the detention facility last night, saying that he had neck and chest pains and his plead for medical attention had been ignored. For months before his kidnapping, because of his work in defending fellow citizens' rights, Mr. Chen had been followed, threatened, and harassed by local public security. (boxun.com)

CRD condemns Shandong public security's action for violating relevant articles in the PRC Constitution and Chinese law, which pledge to protect Chinese citizens' basic human rights. CRD demands the immediate release of Mr. Chen Guangcheng and requests investigation by the Ministry of Public Security, seeking accountability for the unlawful kidnapping and mistreatment of Mr. Chen. CRD demands Shandong police to allow Mr.Chen to see a doctor on humanitarian ground. CRD urges concerned Chinese citizens, the Chinese government, and international monitoring bodies and NGOs to monitor the conditions of human rights defenders in China, taking necessary measures to protect their safety of the person and secure the environment for them to do their human rights work. (boxun.com)

(Modified on 2005/9/08)