Chen Guangcheng
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Chen Guangcheng (born November 12, 1971) is a Chinese
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...
activist who has worked on human rights issues in rural areas of the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Blind from an early age and
self-taught Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or institutions (such as schools). Generally, autodidacts are individu ...
in the law, Chen is frequently described as a " barefoot lawyer" who advocates for
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...
,
land rights Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these kinds of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use a ...
, and the welfare of the poor. In 2005, Chen gained international recognition for organising a landmark
class-action lawsuit A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class actio ...
against authorities in
Linyi Linyi () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, China. As of 2011, Linyi is the largest prefecture-level city in Shandong, both by area and population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo t ...
, Shandong province, for the excessive enforcement of the
one-child policy The term one-child policy () refers to a population planning initiative in China implemented between 1980 and 2015 to curb the country's population growth by restricting many families to a single child. That initiative was part of a much br ...
. As a result of this lawsuit, Chen was placed under house arrest from September 2005 to March 2006, with a formal arrest in June 2006. On August 24, 2006, Chen was sentenced to four years and three months for "damaging property and organising a mob to disturb traffic." He was released from prison in 2010 after serving his full sentence, but remained under house arrest or " soft detention" at his home in
Dongshigu Dongshigu () is a village in Yinan County, Linyi, Shandong, China. It is notable for being the home of Chinese civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who was held under house arrest in the village from 2010 to 2012, before he escaped to the US Embas ...
Village. Chen and his wife were reportedly beaten shortly after a human rights group released a video of their home under intense police surveillance in February 2011. Chen's case received sustained international attention, with the U.S. State Department, the
British Foreign Secretary The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen ...
,
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
, and Amnesty International issuing appeals for his release; the latter group designated him a prisoner of conscience. Chen is a 2007 laureate of the Ramon Magsaysay Award and in 2006 was named to the ''Time'' 100. In April 2012, Chen escaped his house arrest and fled to the
Embassy of the United States, Beijing The Embassy of the United States in Beijing is the diplomatic mission of the United States in China. It serves as the administrative office of the United States Ambassador to China. The embassy complex is in Chaoyang District, Beijing. In ad ...
. After negotiations with the Chinese government, he left the embassy for medical treatment in early May 2012, and it was reported that China would consider allowing him to travel to the United States to study. On 19 May 2012, Chen, his wife, and his two children were granted U.S. visas and departed Beijing for
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. In October 2013, Chen accepted a position with the conservative research group
Witherspoon Institute The Witherspoon Institute is a conservative think tank in Princeton, New Jersey. The Institute was founded in 2003 by Princeton University professor and conservative Robert P. George, Luis Tellez, and others involved with the James Madison Progr ...
, and a position at the Catholic University of America.


Early life and family

Chen is the youngest of five brothers of a peasant family from the village of
Dongshigu Dongshigu () is a village in Yinan County, Linyi, Shandong, China. It is notable for being the home of Chinese civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who was held under house arrest in the village from 2010 to 2012, before he escaped to the US Embas ...
,
Yinan County Yinan () is a county in the south of Shandong province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Linyi. The population was in 1999.National Population Statistics Materials by County and City - 1999 Period, ''in'Chin ...
,
Linyi Linyi () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, China. As of 2011, Linyi is the largest prefecture-level city in Shandong, both by area and population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo t ...
, southern Shandong Province, approximately from the city of Jinan. When Chen was about six months old, he lost his sight due to a fever that destroyed his optical nerves. In an interview for the ''
New York Review of Books New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
'', Chen said that although his family did not identify with an organized religion, his upbringing was informed by a "traditional belief in virtue that's present in Chinese culture—that might have some Buddhist content, but not necessarily that one believes in Buddhism." His village was poor, with many families living at a subsistence level. "When I went to school I'd be happy if I just got enough to eat", he recalled. Chen's father worked as an instructor at a Communist Party school, earning the equivalent of about $60 annually. When Chen was a child, his father would read literary works aloud to him, and reportedly helped impart to his son an appreciation of the values of democracy and freedom. In 1991, Chen's father gave him a copy of "The Law Protecting the Disabled", which elaborated on the legal rights and protections in place for disabled persons in the PRC. In 1989, at the age of 18, Chen began attending school as a grade one student at the Elementary School for the Blind in
Linyi Linyi () is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, China. As of 2011, Linyi is the largest prefecture-level city in Shandong, both by area and population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo t ...
city. In 1994, he enrolled at the Qingdao High School for the Blind, where he studied until 1998. He had already begun developing an interest in law, and would often ask his brothers to read legal texts to him. He earned a position at the
Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine The Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (a.k.a. NJUCM, ), is located in Nanjing, capital of China's Jiangsu province. It is jointly constructed by the People's Government of Jiangsu Province and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese ...
in 1998 but because his family was poor, they had to borrow $340 to cover tuition costs. They still fell short of the required $400 and university authorities reportedly had to be pleaded with before allowing Chen to enroll. He studied in Nanjing from 1998 to 2001, specializing in
acupuncture Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientif ...
and massage—the only programs available to the blind. Chen also audited legal courses, gaining a sufficient understanding of the law to allow him to aid his fellow villagers when they sought his assistance. After graduation he returned to his home region and found a job as a
masseur Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In Eu ...
in the hospital of
Yinan County Yinan () is a county in the south of Shandong province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Linyi. The population was in 1999.National Population Statistics Materials by County and City - 1999 Period, ''in'Chin ...
. Chen met his wife, Yuan Weijing, in 2001, after listening to a radio talk show. Yuan had called into the show to discuss her difficulties in landing a job after graduating from the foreign department of Shandong's Chemistry Institute. Chen, who listened to the program, later contacted Yuan and relayed his own story of hardship as a blind man living on just 400 Yuan per year. Yuan was moved by the exchange, and later that year, she traveled to Chen's village to meet him. The couple eloped in 2003. Their son, Chen Kerui, was born later that year. In 2005 they had a second child—a daughter named Chen Kesi—in violation of China's one-child policy. Yuan, who had been working as an English teacher at the time of the marriage, left her job in 2003 in order to assist her husband in his legal work.


Activism

Chen first
petitioned A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offic ...
authorities in 1996, when he traveled to Beijing to complain about taxes that were incorrectly being levied on his family (people with disabilities, such as Chen, are supposed to be exempt from taxation and fees). The complaint was successful, and Chen began petitioning for other individuals with disabilities. With funding from a British foundation, Chen became an outspoken activist for disability rights within the
China Law Society The China Law Society () is the official people's organization of Chinese legal academic professionals. It was established in 1982 and has sub-institutions of different fields of law, such as jurisprudence, constitutional law, civil law, crimin ...
. His reputation as a disability rights advocate was solidified when agreed to advocate for an elderly blind couple whose grandchildren had paralysis. The family had been paying all of the regular taxes and fees, but Chen believed that, under the law, the family should have received government assistance and exemption from taxation. When the case went to court, blind citizens from surrounding counties were in attendance as a show of solidarity. The case was successful, and the outcome became well-known. In 1997, the leaders of Chen's village began implementing a land use plan that gave authorities control over 60 percent of land, which they then rented out at high cost to the villages. The plan, known as the "two-field system", was a major source of enrichment for the local government. While studying in Nanjing the following year, however, Chen learned that the program was illegal, and he petitioned central authorities in Beijing to end the system, thereby irritating local officials. In 2000, Chen returned from his studies in Nanjing to his village of Dongshigu in an effort to confront environmental pollution. (subscription required) A paper mill constructed in 1988 had been dumping toxic wastewater into the Meng River, destroying crops and harming wildlife. The chemicals also reportedly caused skin and digestive problems among villagers living downstream from the mill. Chen organized villagers in his hometown and 78 other villages to petition against the mill. The effort was successful, and resulted in the suspension of the paper mill. In addition, Chen contacted the British embassy in Beijing, informing them of the situation and requesting funding for a well to supply clean water to locals. The British government responded by providing £15,000 towards a deep water well, irrigation systems and water pipelines.Calum and Lijia Macleod (22 October 2000). "Chinese peasants fight for clean water". United Press International. In March 2004, more than 300 residents from Chen's village of Dongshigu filed a petition to the village government demanding that they release the village accounts—which hadn't been made public for over ten years—and address the issue of illegal land requisitions. When village authorities failed to respond, villagers escalated their appeals to the township, county and municipal governments, still without response. Village authorities then began to publicly threaten villagers. In November 2004, Chen acted on behalf of villagers to file a lawsuit in the Qi'nan County Court against the local
Public Security Bureau A Public Security Bureau (PSB) () of a city or county, or Public Security Department (PSD) () of a province or autonomous region, in the People's Republic of China refers to a government office essentially acting as a police station or a local ...
for negligence. The case was accepted, and proceedings began in early 2005. In 2005, Chen spent several months surveying residents of Shandong Province, collecting accounts of forced, late-term
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...
s and forced sterilization of women who stood in violation of China's one-child policy. His survey was based in Linyi and included surrounding rural suburbs. Chen later recalled that his survey would have been significantly larger in scope were he not limited by a lack of financial resources. Though Chinese central authorities have sought to curb the coercive enforcement of the one-child policy since 1990 by replacing measures such as forced abortions and sterilizations with a system of financial incentives and fines, Chen found that coercive practices remained widespread, and he documented numerous cases of abuse. One of the women he interviewed in Maxiagou village, 36-year-old Feng Zhongxia, said that local officials detained and beat her relatives, and indicated they would not be released until she turned herself in and submitted to a forced abortion. She said she was later subjected to forced sterilization. Chen also solicited the help of prominent legal scholar
Teng Biao Teng Biao () is a human rights activist and lawyer in China. Teng is a lecturer at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. He has been a vocal supporter of human rights activists such as Chen Guangcheng and Hu Jia. He has b ...
, who conducted his own interviews in Linyi. Teng and Chen later released a report claiming that an estimated 130,000 residents in the city had been forced into 'study sessions' for refusing abortions or violating the one-child policy; residents would be held for days or weeks in the study sessions, and were allegedly beaten. In 2005, Chen filed a
class-action lawsuit A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class actio ...
on behalf of women from Linyi against the city's family planning staff. And in June, he traveled to Beijing to file the complaint and meet with foreign reporters to publicize the case. Although there had been prior instances of Chinese citizens filing complaints about abuses under the one-child policy, Chen's initiative was the first class-action lawsuit to challenge its implementation. Although the suit he filed was rejected, the case garnered international media attention. Responding to questions about Chen's allegation, a senior official with the National Population and Family Planning Commission told ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' that the practice of forced abortions and sterilizations was "definitely illegal", and indicated that the complaints were being investigated. "If the Linyi complaints are true, or even partly true, it's because local officials do not understand the new demands of the Chinese leadership regarding family planning work", said the official. In September 2005, the commission announced that several Linyi officials had been detained. But local authorities in Linyi retaliated against Chen, placing him under house arrest in September 2005 and embarking on a campaign to undermine his reputation; the Linyi officials portrayed him as working for "foreign anti-China forces", pointing out that he had received foreign funding for his advocacy on behalf of disabled people.


Detention and trial

On September 7, 2005, while Chen was in Beijing to publicize his class action lawsuit against the Linyi city family planning staff, he was reportedly abducted by security agents from Linyi and held for 38 hours. Recounting the incident to foreign journalists, Chen said that authorities threatened to levy criminal charges against him for providing state secrets or intelligence to foreign organizations. After Chen refused negotiations with local officials to cease his activism, Linyi authorities placed him under effective house arrest beginning in September 2005. When he attempted to escape in October, he was beaten.
Xinhua Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...
, the news agency of the Chinese government, stated that on 5 February 2006, Chen instigated others "to damage and smash cars belonging to the Shuanghou Police Station and the town government" as well as attack local government officials. ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' reported that witnesses to Chen's protest disputed the government's version of events, and his lawyers argued that it was unlikely he could have committed the crimes due to his constant surveillance by police. Chen was removed from his house in March 2006 and was formally detained in June 2006 by Yinan County officials. He was scheduled to stand trial on 17 July 2006 on charges of destruction of property and assembling a crowd to disrupt traffic, but this was delayed at the request of the prosecution. According to Radio Free Asia and
Chinese Human Rights Defenders China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a non-government organization of domestic and overseas Chinese human rights activists and groups. The organization is headquartered in Washington DC. Its objective is to provide assistance to both human right ...
, the prosecution delayed the trial because a crowd of Chen supporters gathered outside the courthouse. With only a few days' notice, authorities rescheduled Chen's trial for 18 August 2006. On the eve of his trial, all three of his lawyers, including Xu Zhiyong of the Yitong Law Firm, were detained by Yinan police; two were released after being questioned. Neither Chen's lawyers nor his wife were allowed in the courtroom for the trial. Authorities appointed their own public defender for Chen just before the trial began. The trial lasted only two hours. On 24 August 2006, Chen was sentenced to four years and three months for "damaging property and organizing a mob to disturb traffic". As a result of Chen's trial, British Foreign Secretary
Margaret Beckett Dame Margaret Mary Beckett (''née'' Jackson; born 15 January 1943) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South since 1983. A member of the Labour Party, she became Britain's first female Foreign S ...
selected his case for the cover of the British government's 2006 human rights report, stating concern over the handling of Chen's case and calling for the Chinese government "to prove its commitment to building rule of law". A columnist for ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'' also criticized the verdict, writing that "Even assuming
hen Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway *Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
did damage 'doors and windows,' as well as cars, and interrupt traffic for three hours, it is difficult to argue a four-year prison sentence is somehow proportionate to the offence." On 30 November 2006, Yinan County court upheld Chen's sentence, and on 12 January 2007, the Linyi Intermediate Court in Shandong Province rejected his final appeal. The same court had overturned his original conviction in December 2006, citing lack of evidence. However, Chen was convicted in a second trial on identical charges and given an identical sentence by the Yinan court. Following the trial, Amnesty International declared him to be a prisoner of conscience, "jailed solely for his peaceful activities in defence of human rights".


House arrest

After his release from prison in 2010, Chen was placed under house arrest against Chinese law, and was closely monitored by security forces. Legally, he was proclaimed by the government to be a free man, but in reality the local government offered no explanation for the hundreds of unidentified agents monitoring his house and preventing visitors or escape. He and his wife attempted to communicate with the outside world via video tape and letters. Letters described beatings Chen and his wife were subjected to, seizure of documents and communication devices, cutting off of electric power to their residence, and placing of metal sheets over the windows of their house. Harassment of Chen's family continued throughout his house arrest, and extended to Chen's six-year-old daughter, who was briefly banned from attending school and had her toys confiscated by guards, and to Chen's mother, who was harassed while working in the fields. Authorities reportedly told Chen that they had spent 60 million yuan ($9.5 million) to keep him under house arrest. In 2011, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' reported that a number of supporters and admirers had attempted to penetrate the security monitoring Chen's home, but were unsuccessful. In some instances, his supporters were pummeled, beaten, or robbed by security agents.Andrew Jacobs (18 October 2011)
"Despite Violence, Chinese Dissidents' Emboldened Supporters Stream to See Him"
''The New York Times''

from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
U.S. Congressman Chris Smith attempted to visit Chen in November 2011, but was not granted permission. U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
described the U.S. government as "alarmed" by Chen's continued detention and called on China "to embrace a different path".
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
described his house arrest as "unlawful" and called on authorities to give Chen his freedom. In December 2011, actor
Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including ...
attempted to visit Chen along with a
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crew, but was punched, shoved, and denied access by Chinese security guards. Bale later stated that he had wanted "to meet the man, shake his hand and say what an inspiration he is." Video footage also showed Bale and the CNN crew having stones thrown at them, and being pursued in their minivan for more than 40 minutes.


Escape and emigration

On 22 April 2012, Chen escaped from house arrest. Chen's fellow activist Hu Jia stated that Chen had been planning escape for a long time, and had previously attempted to dig a tunnel for escape. In the weeks leading up to his escape, Chen gave his guards the impression that he was ill in bed, and stopped appearing outside the house, which allowed him several days before any absence would be discovered. Under cover of darkness and with the help of his wife, Chen climbed over the wall around his house, breaking his foot in the process. When he came upon the Meng River, he found it to be guarded, but crossed anyway and was not stopped; he later stated that he believed the guards had been asleep. Though he recollected his immediate surroundings from his childhood explorations, he eventually passed into less familiar territory; he later told his supporters that he fell more than 200 times during his escape. Communicating with a network of activists via a cell phone, he reached a pre-determined rendezvous point where He Peirong, an English teacher and activist, was waiting for him. A chain of human rights activists then escorted him to Beijing. Several of the activists reported to be involved were detained or disappeared in the days following the announcement of Chen's escape. Chen was given refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, though the Embassy initially declined to confirm or deny reports that they were sheltering him. The Embassy later said they had accepted Chen on humanitarian grounds and offered him medical assistance. On 27 April, Chen appeared in an internet video in which he expressed his concern that the authorities would carry out "insane retribution" on his family and made three demands of Premier
Wen Jiabao Wen Jiabao (born 15 September 1942) is a retired Chinese politician who served as the Premier of the State Council from 2003 to 2013. In his capacity as head of government, Wen was regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic polic ...
: 1) that local officials who allegedly assaulted his family be prosecuted; 2) that his family's safety be guaranteed; and 3) that the Chinese government prosecute corruption cases under the law. ''The New York Times'' described the situation as a "diplomatic quandary" at a time when the U.S. was seeking to improve relations with China and seeks its support with respect to crises in Iran, Sudan, Syria, and North Korea.
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
described Chen's escape as coming at "an unwelcome time for China's leaders", who were still dealing with a high-profile corruption scandal that resulted in the removal of politburo member
Bo Xilai Bo Xilai (; born 3 July 1949) is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges. He came to prominence through his tenures as Mayor of Dalian and then the governor of Liaoning. From 2004 to November 2007, ...
. Within twenty-four hours, Chen's name as well as the phrases "CGC" and "the blind man" had been blocked by Chinese online censors in an effort to quell Internet discussion of the case. On the day Chen announced his escape, Chinese state media did not carry "a single line of news" referring to it. ''The New York Times'' wrote that news of the escape "electrified China's rights activists".


Negotiations and exit from U.S. embassy

Kurt M. Campbell Kurt Michael Campbell, , (born August 27, 1957) is an American diplomat and businessman, who formerly served as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Presidential transition of Barack Obama, Obama administration ...
, an assistant secretary of state, quietly arrived in Beijing on April 29 for negotiations with representatives of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After several days of media speculation as to his whereabouts, Chen was confirmed on 2 May to have been under U.S. diplomatic protection at the Embassy. According to embassy representatives, the agreement brokered with Chinese authorities provided that Chen would be freed from soft detention, relocated, and be permitted to finish his legal education at one of several law schools in China. Chinese officials also promised to investigate "extra-legal activities" taken by Shandong province authorities against Chen and his family. Chen left the embassy of his own accord on 2 May, was reunited with his family, and admitted to Beijing's Chaoyang Hospital for medical treatment. During the initial negotiations in the U.S. embassy, Chen did not request asylum in the United States or considered leaving China, but instead demanded to remain there as a free man. However, soon after leaving the embassy, Chen feared that Chinese authorities would renege on their promises or take punitive actions against his family members. While in the hospital, Chinese security personnel barred U.S. diplomatic staff from meeting with him. Rumors emerged that Chinese officials had coerced Chen into leaving the embassy by threatening his family. U.S. negotiators stated that while in the embassy, Chen had been told by Chinese officials that if he sought asylum in the United States, his wife and daughter would likely remain under house arrest in Shandong. However, they maintained that they had not heard of the threats from local officials that his family would be beaten, and that they had not communicated such a message to Chen. On 3 May, Chen clarified to the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
that he had become aware of the threats against his family after leaving the embassy, and at that point changed his mind about wishing to stay in China. On May 2, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the U.S. apologize for the Chen incident, investigate its acts and never interfere in China's domestic matters in such a way again. In an editorial on 4 May, ''
Beijing Daily ''Beijing Daily'' () is the official newspaper of the Beijing municipal committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Founded on October 1, 1952, it has since 2000 been owned by the Beijing Daily Group, which also runs eight other newspapers. It ...
'' described Chen as "a tool and a pawn for American politicians to denigrate China". The daily also accused US Ambassador Gary Locke of stirring up trouble by sheltering Chen, and questioned Locke's motives.Priscilla Jiao. (18 May 2012). "Locke calls daily's bluff by declaring his assets". '' South China Morning Post''. On May 4, after Chen made clear his desire to leave China for the United States, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson indicated that, if he wished to study abroad, he could "apply through normal channels to the relevant departments in accordance with the law, just like any other Chinese citizen." On the same day, Chen was offered a
visiting scholar In academia, a visiting scholar, visiting researcher, visiting fellow, visiting lecturer, or visiting professor is a scholar from an institution who visits a host university to teach, lecture, or perform research on a topic for which the visitor ...
position at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
. On 19 May, Chen, his wife, and his two children, having been granted U.S. visas, departed Beijing on a commercial flight for
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,
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.


Treatment of family and associates

While Chen was living under house arrest, several of his family members also reportedly faced harassment and confinement by authorities. His elderly mother, Wang Jinxiang, recalled being continuously followed by three security agents. The BBC reported in May 2012 that she remained under house arrest. Before leaving China in the spring of 2012, Chen expressed concern that his relatives and other activists who had helped him evade capture would be punished by Chinese officials after his departure. On April 27, 2012, soon after Chen escaped house arrest, plainclothes security agents forced entry into the home of his eldest brother, Chen Guangfu. Believing that the elder brother had information on Chen's escape, police took him to a police station for interrogation, and reportedly chained his feet, slapped him, and struck him with a belt. Police officers then allegedly returned to the family's home and proceeded to beat Guangfu's wife and son. His son, Chen Kegui, pulled a knife and slashed at three of the officers, causing minor injuries. He was taken into custody and faces criminal charges for attempted murder. On 24 May, it was reported that Chen Guangfu had escaped to Beijing from his guarded village to advocate on behalf of his son. In November 2012, Chen Kegui was sentenced to more than three years in prison. On 4 November 2013, Chen Guangfu said he would fly to New York City with his mother two days later for a reunion with his brother Chen Guangcheng.


In the United States

Following his arrival in the U.S., Chen, his wife, and the couple's two children settled in a housing complex for students and faculty of
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, located in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
. He reportedly began studying English for two hours per day, in addition to having regular meetings with American legal scholars. His memoir, ''The Barefoot Lawyer'', was published in March 2015 by Henry Holt and Company. On May 29, 2012, Chen published an editorial in ''The New York Times'' criticizing the Chinese government and the Communist Party for the "lawless punishment inflicted on (himself) and (his) family over the past seven years". He said that "those who handled my case were able to openly flout the nation's laws in many ways for many years." In an April 2013 testimony before the
House Foreign Affairs Committee The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, also known as the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a standing committee of the U.S. House of Representatives with jurisdiction over bills and investigations concerning the foreign affairs o ...
, Chen said that Chinese authorities had failed to deliver on promises to investigate allegations of mistreatment against him and his family. Chen issued a statement in June saying NYU is forcing him to leave at the end of June because of pressure from the Chinese government. This claim was denied by the university, as well as by professor Jerome A. Cohen, Chen's mentor who arranged for his placement at NYU. Despite these denials, his departure followed within days of NYU's agreement with the Chinese authorities to open the NYU Shanghai campus. Chen's close association with conservative Christian and anti-abortion figures since coming to the United States, including representative Chris Smith, pastor
Bob Fu Bob Fu () is a Chinese American pastor. In 2002, he founded China Aid, which provides legal aid to Christians in China, and has been its president since then. Bob Fu was born in Shandong in 1968 and studied English literature at Liaocheng Univ ...
, and media consultant
Mark Corallo Mark Corallo (born February 8, 1966) is an American political communications and public relations professional, who is the co-founder and co-principal of Corallo Comstock.Paul Singer and Tory Newmyer, ''K Street Files'', Roll Call, April 11, 2007 ...
, has concerned old supporters like Cohen. In October 2013, Chen accepted an offer from the
Witherspoon Institute The Witherspoon Institute is a conservative think tank in Princeton, New Jersey. The Institute was founded in 2003 by Princeton University professor and conservative Robert P. George, Luis Tellez, and others involved with the James Madison Progr ...
in
Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Chen became a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Human Rights at the Witherspoon Institute, as well as a Visiting Fellow of the
Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies The Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies (IPR) is an interdisciplinary institute and center of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Washington, District of Columbia, DC. History The Institute for Policy Research ...
at the Catholic University of America and a Senior Distinguished Advisor to the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. On October 16, 2013, Chen made his first public appearance in his role as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Witherspoon Institute. He delivered a public lecture at
Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...
entitled "China and the World in the 21st Century: The Next Human Rights Revolution", which was co-sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The text of Chen's speech, translated into English, was then published online. In the speech, Chen called on the American people to support the Chinese people by fighting against the oppressive Communist government of China. He reminded the audience that even small actions undertaken in defense of human rights can have a large impact, because "Every person has infinite strength. Every action has an important impact. We must believe in the value of our own actions". In August 2020, Chen spoke at the
2020 Republican National Convention The 2020 Republican National Convention in which delegates of the United States Republican Party selected the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2020 United States presidential election, was held from August 24 to 27, 202 ...
. During his speech, Chen stated "We need to support, vote, and fight for President Trump." In 2021 Chen naturalized as a US citizen.


Awards and recognition

Chen began attracting international media attention for his civil rights activism in the early 2000s. In March 2002, ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'' magazine ran a cover story on Chen and the " barefoot lawyer" movement in China, detailing his advocacy on behalf of villagers and disabled people. His profile rose further in 2005 when he filed a landmark class-action suit taking on abuses of the
one-child policy The term one-child policy () refers to a population planning initiative in China implemented between 1980 and 2015 to curb the country's population growth by restricting many families to a single child. That initiative was part of a much br ...
. In 2006, Chen Guangcheng was named one of the ''Time'' 100, ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' annual list of "100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming our world". The citation stated, "He may have lost his sight as a child, but Chen Guangcheng's legal vision has helped illuminate the plight of thousands of Chinese villagers." In 2007, Chen won the Ramon Magsaysay Award while still in detention. The award, often called the "Asian Nobel Prize", was bestowed for "his irrepressible passion for justice in leading ordinary Chinese citizens to assert their legitimate rights under the law". According to AIDS activist Hu Jia, Chen's wife Yuan Weijing attempted to attend the Magsaysay Award ceremony on her husband's behalf, her passport was revoked and her mobile phone was confiscated by Chinese authorities at
Beijing Capital International Airport Beijing Capital International Airport is one of two international airports serving Beijing, the other one being Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). It is located northeast of Beijing's city center, in an exclave of Chaoyang District ...
. The
National Endowment for Democracy The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an organization in the United States that was founded in 1983 for promoting democracy in other countries by promoting political and economic institutions such as political groups, trade unions, ...
honored Chen with the 2008 Democracy Award. Chen was one of seven Chinese lawyers and civil rights activists to be named as recipients of the award. In 2012, Chen was chosen as the recipient of the Human Rights Award from the New York-based NGO
Human Rights First Human Rights First (formerly known as the Lawyers Committee for International Human Rights) is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3), international human rights organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C. In 2004, Human Rights First started its " ...
. In explaining the choice, the organization's president Elisa Massimino stated, "Mr. Chen's activism has reignited an international conversation about the need to protect human rights lawyers around the world who face great danger for their courageous work." In 2014 he received the Geneva Summit Courage Award.


References


External links

* *
"How China Flouts Its Laws"
op-ed by Chen Guangcheng in ''The New York Times'', 29 May 2012
'Pressure for Change is at the Grassroots': An Interview with Chen Guangcheng'
the ''New York Review of Books'', 20 June 2012. * United States Congress, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Chen Guangcheng: His Case, Cause, Family, and Those Who are Helping Him: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights
112th Congress, Second Session, 15 May 2012.
Chen Guangcheng
''
Freedom Collection Freedom Collection is a digital repository sponsored by the George W. Bush Institute at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on Southern Methodist University's campus in Dallas, Texas. The collection documents major players in human rights and ...
'' interview * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Guangcheng 1971 births Abortion in China Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by China Blind activists Chinese blind people Chinese expatriates in the United States Chinese human rights activists Chinese democracy activists 20th-century Chinese lawyers 21st-century Chinese lawyers Chinese prisoners and detainees Chinese refugees Chinese disability rights activists Living people People from Linyi Weiquan movement Ramon Magsaysay Award winners Witherspoon Institute