BEIJING, CHINA (ANS) -- ChinaAid is reporting that the Chinese government has launched a major crackdown against human rights attorneys, canceling or refusing to renew the licenses of at least 21 attorneys who have challenged the Communist government’s abuse of Chinese citizens.

Human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng (photo taken September 2007)

Many of the attorneys have been working closely with ChinaAid’s legal defense efforts for religious freedom cases.

“These human rights lawyers should be rewarded for their brave active efforts in promoting rule of law and advancing citizens' civil and human rights according to both the international standard and China's own Constitution, “ said Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid. “Ironically, the rights of the rights attorneys are now in jeopardy.”

Three leading lawyers have called ChinaAid expressing their concern and requesting ChinaAid to solicit the help of the international community. This is an unusual request from human rights attorneys who, in the past, have tried to walk a fine line within the framework of Chinese law. One lawyer told ChinaAid, ‘The Chinese government already broke the bottom line by forcing our lawyers to fight to survive to earn a living.”

ChinaAid has received reports of human rights attorneys who have been recently kidnapped, beaten, and tortured by officials for practicing normal legal defense work.

Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights attorney who was last seen on February 4, 2009, being hauled away by Chinese officials. To date, the Chinese government has continually refused to release information regarding Gao’s whereabouts or condition. Gao, himself, accurately predicted that every human rights lawyer in China would eventually become a human rights case.

ChinaAid notes that at the same time international pressure is being applied, particularly from the U.S. government, regarding Gao’s kidnapping, and the Chinese government has replied with an official denial of knowledge about his situation, behind the scenes, the government has responded with a crackdown on those attorneys following in Gao’s steps, who have been interacting with the U.S.

Bob Fu stated, “The crackdown against the human rights attorneys simply shows how much progress in the Chinese government human rights record has been made, since the bloody massacre in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago. We call upon the Chinese authorities to restore the licenses of these 21 attorneys.”

For more information to go these websites: www.ChinaAid.org and www.MonitorChina.org

Dan Wooding, 68, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma of 45 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS); and US Bureau Chief for the Missionaries News Service (www.missionariesnews.tv) and Safe Worlds IPTV’s Faith, Hope and Charity channel. He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on UCB UK and Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding is the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloidtotruth.com. E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com.