Since mid-July, the petition for Gao Zhisheng has recorded over 110,000 signatures, calling for his release from the custody of the Chinese government. According to a contact, Press Secretary Baodong from the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC recently asserted that Gao Zhisheng was officially held on charges for attacking the Chinese government, and was released on parole in August. Inside resources with ChinaAid can confirm that Gao is alive, but his condition and whereabouts are still unknown.

We thank all FreeGao supporters for your concerns and contributions, and ask that you continue to raise awareness of Gao's case until he is freed, with his full rights as a Chinese citizen lawfully restored. While the Chinese government has verbally decided to acknowledge the case, there can be no resolution with his absence and unknown condition still weighing on the minds and hearts of his supporters.

Thanks to your help, ChinaAid has persisted in meeting and working with concerned officials from governments of the free world, presenting the petition signatures as a sign of international support - and Gao Zhisheng's case has not been forgotten.

On September 8, 2009, eleven Members of the US House of Representatives issued a letter to President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China, requesting him to uphold rule of law in China, according to the Chinese Constitution and their international agreements. The bipartisan letter specifically addresses the prolonged absence of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.

View the Congressional Letter to President Hu Jintao, 9/8/2009, at www.ChinaAid.org.

Please continue to share the petition drive with your friends. Encourage them to learn about Gao's story and to take action at www.FreeGao.com

Gao's story of persecution is only one of many. But it is also a key story in exposing the truth behind China's Communist regime and its abuse of human rights. Your signature and compassion makes a difference. Take Action.

By taking action, you have joined an international community concerned about preserving human dignity and basic human rights for China and the world. The Free Gao Campaign will continue gathering petition signatures and presenting them to authorities, and will not relent until Gao's whereabouts and safety are known. Please continue to "speak out" within your sphere of influence and in prayer, until Gao Zhisheng's freedom becomes reality!

To see the latest information, latest signature totals on the petition, photos and more, go to www.FreeGao.com.