Zhisheng Gao - A Rights Defending Attorney
Profile of Zhisheng Gao:
August, 2002, founded “Zhisheng Attorney Office” in Beijing;
December 31, 2004, represented Falun learner Huang, Wei. After the case closed, wrote an open letter to the Congress, became the target;
September 28, defended attorney Guo, Feixiong who was arrested because the Taishi Village Case;
October 18, 2005, visited Chen, Guangcheng in Shangdong province to investigate cases of persecuted Falun learners. Sent a second open letter to Hu, Jintao and Wen, Jiabao;
September 20, 2007, published an open letter to all Congressmen in US and appealed for western politicians to pay attentions to human rights persecution cases in China during Olympics, especially those upon Falun learners.
September 23, 2007, China Communist Party authority secretly arrested attorney Gao, Zhisheng. He was missing until nowadays.
From Coal Diggers to Famous Attorney: Gao, Zhisheng’s Life as a Rights Defending Attorney
26 years ago, Gao, Zhisheng might never dream of today. As a coal digger only educated in primary school, he was able to become an attorney famous in the whole Beijing city. However, it’s true that he had made up his mind not being a coal digger for his lifetime. It’s his three years in military that really change his thoughts and opinions. The three years allow him to know how big the world is and endow him a firm mind.
In 1991, when Gao, Zhisheng are selling vegetables in markets, he had finished senior middle school courses by self education.
“Urumqi people have a habit when buy vegetables. They use newspapers to pack up instead of baskets.” Gao, Zhisheng recalls his legendary experience, “A person brings a large size newspaper to pack the vegetables. Because it’s too big, another part was thrown onto ground.”
This half page of newspaper changes Gao, Zhisheng’s destiny. He saw a book advertisement on the paper by accident: “ Learn Law College by Yourself is Your Shortcut to be an Attorney”
Law College? Attorney?
In 1995, the second year after finishing his law college, Gao, Zhisheng passed the National Bar Examination by taking it for only once.
“I am not aimed at saving anyone to do legal assistance.”
Though Gao, Zhisheng had become a real attorney, but he had no relation and cases, what could he do?
“As long as I have no case, what about doing legal assistance for free?” This is the triggering thought at the beginning, “I didn’t have long-term plans. I just wanted to save myself to keep myself a position in the legal field.”
Ata rainy day of Urumqi, the temperature is really low. Gao, Zhisheng sat in the office reading recent legal magazines as usual. Until now, nobody has come to ask him to do cases. The door is pushed open by wind. An elder person in rags stepped in. Gao, Zhisheng stood up quickly. He didn’t realize the elder man kneel to him suddenly. Gao, Zhisheng was surprised by this and didn’t know how to behave. He asked urgently: “Honored elder, tell me your things and don’t behave like this.” The elder men said with tears in eyes: “My child was murdered, but the murderer was not arrested until now. The murder was put in jail for a while but released rights after. How come my child is dead without justice?”
Gao, Zhisheng seated the elder man and gave him a cup of hot tea. The elder man kept on saying: “My family is so poor that I get around the city, none of the lawyers is delight to take my case. I hear that you do cases for free, so I come here.” The elder man wanted to kneel again. Gao, Zhisheng stopped him and said to him sincerely: “ I will take this case.”
The murdered was sentenced finally and the elder man also received deserving compensation. Gao, Zhisheng had paid not only money in this case. He said: “Emotionally, when you were in life as a weak person, you will put all your heart inside. This case allows me to understand what an ordinary person need and also what I wish to do in the future.”
Because of this case, more and more people came to ask him for help. “During the two years in Urumqi, if I did 40 cases, 30 of them will be free.”
“What did you live on then?” The journalist doubted his saying.
“Everything must be seen in a lone term. When I was saving others, I was helping my future as well.” Gao, Zhisheng emphasized, “However, I won’t use the free cases I deal with presently as capital for my success. If I consider things like this, all things will be in vain.”
“I was born in poverty. I know the thoughts and emotion of a poor person, so I understand what I intend to do” Gao, Zhisheng spoke in humor, “I won’t regard my help to others as a kind of charity. I look forward and I will use all my life to save my next life!”
“Some people call me A Crazy Dog Lawyer”
From the case of the elder men, people from nationwide found him because of his fame. Gao, Zhisheng started his life flying around the country. Sometimes he couldn’t even afford the transportation fee and had to borrowed money.
Some people spoke ironically to him: “What is your purpose? To let people call you a good man? Do you know how many people hate you deeply?”
Gao, Zhisheng seldom answers questions like this. He knows this society needs a person like him.
Many places fear his coming and many other lawyers hate him, because even it’s a free case, Gao, Zhisheng never gives his rivals any chance to win.
Once, a television in Xinjiang invited him to make a legal program with another lawyer. When Gao, Zhisheng came to the studio, the other lawyer was talking with the host: “I know Gao, Zhisheng, the one who gets around like a crazy dog and causes hatred among all people.” Gao, Zhisheng patted his shoulder and said in humor: “A crazy dog like me never bite ordinary people.”
When he was humiliated by his rival, Gao, Zhisheng simply smiled. But when his client was misunderstood, he felt the pain as well.
“A free legal assistant case on criminals, I had prepared a lot for the court. However, there is no message from the court or the parties. I finally find out the case is already closed afterwards.” Gao, Zhisheng said that he had been through this situation for many times, “I couldn’t understand the reason for this, so I find the party. He just said to me indifferently, ‘I heard that you have accepted 40,000 yuan from the opposite side. How dare I can trust you always? Even the assistance is free; I have to consider the consequence.’” Gao, Zhisheng said nothing. He knew that the client had been trapped by the rival, but the truth will come out finally. “I don’t have to explain too much.”
Gao, Zhisheng not only suffered blocks from clients and rivals. The largest obstacle is the endless anonymous letters and threatening letters. The local judicial and administrative departments came to him many times asking about his accepting money. None of these accuses were confirmed. “Because I have never done illegal things.”
“Why it’s so difficult to provide legal assistance to the weak minority?” The journalist couldn’t understand.
“The problems of weak minority usually relates to many sensitive things. The opposite word to weak is strong. When you are speaking for the weak, you are resisting the strong people. Is it possible to avoid troubles?”
“A lawyer must support the weak minority”
When Gao, Zhisheng saw the copies of cashes in a family in Dandong City, he cried. “Though the case has closed, I sent money to the damaged child in this family. I don’t expect them to keep copies of these cashes to show their gratitude to me.”
This disabled child named Zhou, Weiyi. Because of pains in stomach, he was input too much Enzyme and became deaf and dumb afterwards. His parents went to hospital many times asking for compensation, but was rejected cruelly. To get their child cured as soon as possible, they have to borrowed money, but the cost of treatment was still out of budget. After the unsuccessful negotiation, the parents accused the hospital in local court. At the time, their friends introduced Gao, Zhisheng to them and told them Gao will do the case free. When Gao, Zhisheng accepted their appeal, the parents of Gao, Zhisheng cried out.
The case went smoothly in spite of pressures and threats from many aspects. The Zhou family received their compensation about 800,000 yuan. The parents of Zhou, Weiyi brought money to thank Gao, Zhisheng, but Gao turned away the money, saying: “When I came to you city ding cases, you can provide a bed and food for me. You should use the money to cure your chlild as soon as possible.”
The case of Bai, Tao is a pain in Gao, Zhisheng’s heart. The reason for the case is just like Zhou, Weiyi’s. However, the difficulties he has been through at court make him really chilly. After all these twists, Bai, Tao’s son only got a mere piece of paper from the judge. The total amount of 480,000 yuan is never received and the court of Baishan City, Jilin Province seldom administrates the sentence.
“Are there many cases that not properly administrated after the judgment?”
“A lot”
“What do you feel?”
“Except the pity for the clients and continuous appeal, the only thing left is loneliness. I can only speak from my point of view: A lawyer must support the weak minority!”
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