Geng He handmade Gao Zhisheng image shell relief —-7355 pieces of torn thoughts

It has been five years since the disappearance of prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. To appeal for Gao Zhisheng’s rescue, his wife Geng He and their children made a cameo of Gao’s head from bullet casings and put it on public display for the first time in the US capital on September 21.

On the afternoon of September 20, at the memorial hall of the victims of communism in Washington, The capital of the United States, An art image relief of Gao Zhisheng made of more than 7000 bullet casings was on display. It was specially made by Gao’s wife, Geng He, who lives in exile in the United States, and their children. Under the guidance of Chen Weiming, the artist who created the relief, they spent two months getting their hands on it and signing their names.

“I believe everyone here has a smartphone,” Geng said. “You can look at photos of your parents, family, children and loved ones at any time… This kind of warm scene is an extravagant hope for me and my children.”
Geng said she had not seen Gao for 14 years and had not heard from him since he “disappeared” on August 13, 2017.

In 2006, the U.S. Congress passed Resolution 365 urging the Chinese government to reinstate Gao Zhisheng and his law firm’s license. As a US citizen, she would like to ask US Embassy officials in China whether they can go to Gao Zhisheng’s hometown to seek information about him. She stressed that although she and her children are living safely in the United States, they are not free from the persecution and fear that the Chinese government has imposed on their family, and they have been tortured to find out whether Gao Zhisheng is alive or dead.
Geng called on the US government and people from all walks of life to lend a helping hand: “I hope there will be no more virtual reunions of families like ours on US soil. Again, I look forward to your help.”

Scott, deputy Assistant secretary of State for Democracy, Human rights and Labor. Scott Busby was also at Tuesday’s event. He said the Chinese authorities have relentlessly threatened and suppressed human rights defenders and activists regardless of their ethnic, national and religious backgrounds, and continue to do so.

“The United States strongly condemns China’s unjust detention of Gao Zhisheng,” he said, referring to the persecution of Gao Zhisheng. We call on China to account for his whereabouts and to stop silencing journalists, lawyers and others who, like him, seek to report the truth and defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States will always support brave men like Gao Zhisheng who seek to build a more just, stable, and prosperous society.”
He also spoke of a recent assessment of human rights in Xinjiang by the United Nations Human Rights office and called on Beijing to stop atrocities and release all arbitrary detainees.

Scott, deputy Assistant secretary of State for Democracy, Human rights and Labor. Speaking at the event, Scott Busby said Chinese authorities have relentlessly threatened and suppressed human rights defenders and activists regardless of their ethnic, national and religious backgrounds, and continue to do so.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith and former Rep. Frank Wolf also attended the event.
Smith also referred to the Clinton administration’s decoupling of human rights and trade issues; Under Mr. Obama, he had also tried, unsuccessfully, to get Mr. Obama to meet Mr. Gao’s daughter, Geng Ge, and the daughters of several other prisoners of conscience. He recently introduced a bill in Congress to relink trade and human rights.
“When Gao Zhisheng is free, when other very brave men and women are also free, they will be heroes, like Chen Guangcheng, and everyone will look back and say China is free because of them,” he said. We play an important role to the best of our ability and we have to play that role.”

Senator Smith called on the Biden administration to do more on human rights and to stop persecution by the Communist Party.

Gao Zhisheng was once named one of the “Top 10 National Lawyers” by China’s Ministry of Justice. The Associated Press called him “China’s leading activist lawyer.” He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times.

In 2006, he was stripped of his law license and later sentenced to three years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power.” He lost his personal freedom for years and was tortured many times. He was released from prison in 2014 and kept under house arrest. On August 13, 2017, he “disappeared” while under house arrest and his whereabouts are still unknown.

In 2009, his wife, Geng He, and their two children ventured out of China and were granted political asylum after being granted refugee status in the United States. Geng and his daughter have been attending events for 14 years, hoping to draw more attention to Gao’s disappearance.