Chinese Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng has ‘reappeared’ after he was abducted by Chinese security agents from the Public Security Bureau in his home village in Shaanxi province on 19 January 2009. We have highlighted this issue previously Justice and International Mission Unit has continued to lobby for his release. In response the Australian Government made representations to the Chinese authorities on behalf of Mr Gao.

Mr Gao spoke to reporters after resurfacing, saying he did not want to discuss his disappearance and whether he had been held or mistreated by the authorities. He stated that he hoped to be reunited with his family and he would be giving up his human rights activism.

I don’t have the capacity to persevere. On the one hand, it’s my past experiences. It is also that these experiences greatly hurt my loved ones. The ultimate choice of mine, after a process of deep and careful thought, is to seek the goal of peace and calm, said Mr Gao.