Amsterdam Rally Echoes Global Calls for Justice: Commemorating the 8th Anniversary of Gao Zhisheng's Disappearance

 

Amsterdam, Netherlands – August 11, 2025 – In a poignant display of solidarity, around 15 supporters gathered at Amsterdam Central Station's main entrance on August 10, 2025, to voice their demands for the whereabouts of Gao Zhisheng, one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers, who has been forcibly disappeared for eight years. Organized by the Dutch Anti-Communist Voice and co-hosted by the Overseas Committee of the China Democracy Party, with volunteer Jiang Peikun spearheading the planning, the rally titled "Speaking Out for Justice: Supporting the Lawyer Gao Zhisheng, Missing for 8 Years" highlighted ongoing concerns over human rights abuses in China.

Gao Zhisheng, born on April 20, 1964, in Jia County, Shaanxi Province, rose from humble beginnings marked by poverty. After his father's death, he dropped out of school at 16 to farm and work in coal mines, later enlisting in the military where he self-taught law and passed the bar exam, beginning his practice in 1996. He quickly gained recognition for defending vulnerable groups, including farmers, laid-off workers, underground Christian church members, and Falun Gong practitioners, earning the title of one of China's "Top Ten Lawyers" in 2001 and the moniker "China's Conscience." From late 2004, Gao began issuing open letters to Chinese leaders, urging an end to the persecution of Falun Gong and investigations into torture, which led to severe repercussions: his law license was revoked, his firm shut down, and he faced repeated arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and torture. In 2006, he was convicted of "inciting subversion of state power," receiving a three-year suspended sentence with five years' probation, during which he endured kidnappings, solitary confinement, electric shocks, and other abuses. Released in 2014 after further imprisonment for alleged parole violations, he remained under house arrest until August 13, 2017, when he vanished from his Shaanxi home—his fourth enforced disappearance. International organizations, including Amnesty International, PEN International, and Human Rights Watch, have condemned his case as emblematic of China's use of "residential surveillance at a designated location" for prolonged, secret detentions, calling for his immediate release and transparency. Despite global outcry, including nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and appeals from the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Gao's fate remains unknown, symbolizing the broader suppression of lawyers, dissidents, and faith groups under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The rally, held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, aimed to pressure the Chinese government to disclose Gao's location and health, protest the CCP's persecution of lawyers and prisoners of conscience, and convey a message of unwavering commitment to freedom and justice to the Dutch and international communities. Participants held photos of Gao emblazoned with "Where is Gao Zhisheng?" in English, displayed bilingual posters commemorating his eight-year disappearance, chanted slogans, read statements, and distributed 500 English-language flyers recounting his story and urging actions like social media advocacy on X (formerly Twitter) via handles @freelawergao and @GengHe1, petitions to human rights groups, letters to Chinese embassies, rally participation, and donations to support his family.

Key participants included Jiang Peikun (organizer and volunteer), China Democracy Party Overseas Committee members Chen Zhi, Sui Xiaobo, Wei Zhijian, Luo Wei, and Jiang Fuzhen, dissidents and democracy activists Yue San, Yu Yang, Liu Bowen, Jiang Hong, Independent Chinese PEN Center member Liu Zhaoyang, and Anti-Communist Voice founder Liu Feilong. The atmosphere was charged with determination: banners waved, slogans echoed, and passersby—both Chinese and foreigners—engaged actively. Some Chinese individuals excitedly recognized Gao's name, taking flyers while cheering "I know Gao Zhisheng, keep going!" A Falun Gong practitioner en route to the train station posed for photos with attendees. Notably, a human rights defender from the UK, upon learning Gao's story, repeatedly shouted "Free Gao Zhisheng!" and joined for group photos and English chants.

The event commenced with Chen Zhi, a China Democracy Party Overseas Committee member and Hubei Christian, delivering the opening statement on behalf of the organizers. He introduced Gao as a renowned lawyer who defended Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, and marginalized groups, earning the "China's Conscience" title, but faced imprisonment, torture, and disappearance for his bravery. Chen emphasized that the rally was not just for one man but for all silenced voices advocating rule of law, faith, and freedom, urging attendees to chant: "Gao Zhisheng, where are you? We demand the truth!"

Speeches followed, each highlighting Gao's legacy and broader implications:

- Wei Zhijian, a China Democracy Party Overseas Committee member and Guangxi independence activist, portrayed Gao as a "flag of freedom transcending ethnic boundaries." He noted Gao's Han ethnicity but his defense of all oppressed groups, including Uyghurs and Tibetans, proving no ethnicity is safe under authoritarian rule. Wei linked Gao's struggle to the need for unity against CCP tyranny, citing events like the 709 crackdown, the "Chained Woman" case, Henan bank scandals, and Urumqi fire as evidence of systemic oppression. He called for overthrowing the CCP to achieve democratic transformation and ethnic self-determination.

- Yu Yang, an Anhui dissident, described Gao as a courageous lawyer without power or backing who advocated for Falun Gong, Christians, and the underprivileged through lawsuits and appeals. Yu stressed that Gao's 2017 disappearance represents not just a family tragedy but China's crumbling rule of law and human rights. He urged persistence in storytelling and demands for transparency, asserting that justice must not remain silent.

- Liu Bowen, a Hubei democracy activist from Xiaogan, hailed Gao as a figure who rejected wealth and status to illuminate darkness by defending farmers, faith adherents, and the oppressed. Liu highlighted Gao's exit from the CCP, his free legal aid, and his role as a pioneer in the 709 lawyers' movement. He called Gao's courage a banner and sacrifice a lighthouse, urging attendees to carry his torch against tyranny.

- Jiang Peikun, a Guangdong human rights defender and rally volunteer, connected Gao's story to personal ties with persecuted Falun Gong and Christians in China, like those in "brainwashing classes" or imprisoned preachers. He detailed Gao's path from potential prosperity to thorns of advocacy, enduring license revocation, surveillance, kidnappings, and tortures like electric shocks and humiliation. Jiang decried eight years of silence as a warning to all, linking it to broader disasters like lead-poisoned food and police brutality, rooting them in CCP one-party rule. He advocated overthrowing the regime for a democratic future.

- Jiang Hong, from Heilongjiang's Harbin, referenced the 709 crackdown as undemocratic CCP violence. She praised Gao's long-term advocacy for the vulnerable, including Falun Gong and Christians, labeling him a leader in China's rights movement. Jiang demanded his immediate release and clearance, condemning restrictions on his freedom.

- Chen Zhi (second speech) provided a biographical overview: Gao's rise from poverty to acclaimed lawyer, his 2001 honors, open letters from 2004 leading to persecution, 2006 conviction, repeated tortures, 2014 release under surveillance, and 2017 disappearance after publishing a book on his ordeals. Chen noted international calls from Amnesty, UN, and others, viewing Gao's case as a critique of secretive detentions. He tied it to ongoing abuses like the 1989 Tiananmen, Falun Gong self-immolations, Xinjiang repression, and White Paper Movement, concluding the CCP must fall for rule of law and democracy.

- Yue San, a Henan dissident from Zhengzhou, marked the exact eight-year milestone, condemning the disappearance as a grave human rights violation under international law. He recounted Gao's defenses, awards, and Nobel nomination, demanding disclosure, UN pressure, media attention, and protections for lawyers. Yue framed Gao's plight as a challenge to legal dignity and conscience.

- Sui Xiaobo, a China Democracy Party Overseas Committee member, reflected on Gao as the "Conscience of China" persecuted for defending the weak. Sui drew parallels to systemic repression, citing tycoon Li Ka-shing's vilification for asset moves as evidence of insecure property rights. He positioned Gao as a Nobel-worthy figure, urging disclosure and an end to conscience suppression.

- Liu Zhaoyang, an Independent Chinese PEN Center member, emphasized remembrance over forgetting, detailing Gao's honors, defenses, and multiple disappearances as extensions of systemic persecution. He called for ending enforced disappearances, releasing prisoners of conscience like Peng Lifa, and international pressure, asserting justice endures.

The rally featured chants led by Chen Zhi, Yue San, and Liu Bowen, including: "Xi Jinping must account for Gao Zhisheng's whereabouts! CCP persecutes lawyers! Must be held accountable! Stop dictatorial rule! Release prisoners of conscience! CCP conceals the truth! We won't be silent!" and "Gao Zhisheng missing eight years, Xi Jinping bears responsibility! Return freedom to Gao Zhisheng, justice to Chinese people!" and "Hold CCP accountable for atrocities! Protect human rights truth! Gao Zhisheng missing 8 years, we can't ignore! He spoke for others, we speak for him! Down with the Communist Party! Down with Xi Jinping! Try Xi Jinping!"

In closing remarks, Jiang Peikun thanked participants, acknowledged imperfections in his first Dutch event organization, and invited feedback. He underscored that their presence negated tyranny and upheld dignity, extending the call to support Ukraine's independence rally on August 24 at Dam Square, linking struggles for universal values.

This rally underscores the enduring significance of defending human rights and universal values. Gao Zhisheng's case exemplifies the global fight against enforced disappearances, which violate fundamental human dignity and international norms, as highlighted by ongoing UN and NGO advocacy. By amplifying silenced voices, the event fosters transnational solidarity, reminding that justice, freedom of expression, faith, and rule of law are indivisible principles transcending borders. In an era of rising authoritarianism, such gatherings reinforce that collective action can challenge oppression, inspire hope for prisoners of conscience, and pave the way for democratic reforms, ensuring no one is forgotten in the pursuit of a just world.

Editor: Jiang Peikun