We reported last week on the escape from house
arrest of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng. It seems that with the assistance
of fellow dissident He "Pearl" Peirong Chen found his way to the
American Embassy. We understand that Chen left the Embassy in the company of US
Embassy personnel for medical treatment and there is some doubt about his
current status and that of his family. We also understand that there will be an emergency
Congressional hearing into the entire affair.
Women’s Rights Without Frontiers report that
controversy surrounds the latest news of Chen’s decision to leave the safety of
the U.S. embassy in Beijing after escaping there from house arrest on April 22.
The U.S. government purports that it was necessary for him to seek medical
treatment and that the Chinese government promised Chen and his family safe
conduct. Human rights activists have doubts about his wellbeing and China's
intent, stating that his condition was not critical, and that the U.S.
government should have welcomed the Chen's family into the safety of the
compound until a more satisfactory deal could be made.
Meanwhile, activists are unable to contact He
"Pearl" Peirong, a fellow dissident who assisted Chen in reaching the
safety of the U.S. embassy in Beijing. They worry that she has now been
detained because of her assistance to Chen.
Women’s Rights Without Frontiers President, Women's
Rights Without Frontiers and Bob Fu President, China Aid have called a press
conference to be held later today
at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C to give an update and a Q&A session on the current status of Chen, his family and his colleagues.
Bob Fu, President of China Aid and Tiananmen Square
student leader, along with Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights Without
Frontiers have long established relationships with Chen and He. Fu has marked
this as a watershed moment for United States credibility in the defense of
freedom and rule of law.
Fu and Littlejohn are in Washington to testify
before an emergency hearing of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
to discuss the recent developments in the Cheng Guangcheng case.
