In April 2009 the End Christian Persecution Network of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania requested supporters write to the Chinese authorities and the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs about Chinese Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. Mr Gao remains ‘disappeared’ after being arrested by Chinese security forces in January 2009.

AFP reported on 6 February 2010 that Gao Zhisheng had been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by the US Congress.

His wife, Geng He, told the US Congress that “These past few weeks, I can’t sleep until 3 am every night. My heart aches because I recall every single detail. Really, sometimes I feel that it might be better if he were dead than alive. But I am hoping and I am ready to trade my own life for his so that the family can go on.”

She voiced hope that appeals from the US and other foreign nations would help. “Unless there is international pressure, I fear that in the future there may be no more lawyers in China who will take up these cases.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu refused to answer questions from foreign reporters on Mr Gao’s whereabouts. Mr Ma said “I guess that he should be where he should be.”

The End Christian Persecution Network of the Uniting Church in Victoria thanks  everyone who wrote letters calling for the release of Mr Gao.