June 24, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jared Genser
[email protected]
+1 202 320 4135
What:
Press Conference to Announce Decision of UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on Chen Kegui’s Case
Who:
- Chen Guangcheng, Blind Chinese “Barefoot” Lawyer (confirmed)
- Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations (confirmed)
- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (invited)
- Jared Genser, Founder, Freedom Now (confirmed)
Where:
House Triangle
House Side of Capitol’s East Front
Across From Longworth House Office Building
When:
Wednesday June 25th, at 1 pm EST
Background:
Chen Guangcheng is the blind “barefoot” Chinese lawyer who fled an illegal house arrest and escaped to the U.S. Embassy in April 2012. After intensive high-level negotiations with the Chinese Government, Chen and his wife and two children were able to travel to the United States. Despite China’s commitment to the United States that it would both investigate and cease all mistreatment against his extended family, for more than two years it has undertaken a sustained campaign to intimidate, harass, and persecute them. Among much broader mistreatment, his nephew Chen Kegui was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to more than three years in prison after defending himself from a home invasion by a half-dozen thugs and local party officials who entered their family home just a few days after Chen Guangcheng’s escape from his illegal house arrest. Freedom Now has worked as co-counsel with Chen Guangcheng on his nephew’s case. On Wednesday June 25, Freedom Now will participate in a press conference with Chen Guangcheng to release Opinion No. 2/2014 of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding Chen Kegui’s case.
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