Disappearance of Prominent Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Remains Unresolved
International Organization Petitions for Explanation from China Concerning Vanished Lawyer in 2017
Eight years have passed since the disappearance of Gao Zhisheng, a renowned Chinese human rights lawyer, on August 13, 2017. Despite persistent efforts from his family and international organizations to find him, the Chinese government has yet to disclose any information about his whereabouts or condition.
Gao Zhisheng rose to prominence in the 1990s for his work defending religious communities, victims of corruption, and free speech cases. His relentless pursuit of justice led to persecution by the Beijing authorities, culminating in the closure of his law firm in 2005 and his eventual arrest in 2006. He was sentenced to three years in prison with a suspended sentence and five years of probation for "inciting subversion of state power." However, his probation was revoked in 2011, and he was sent to prison to serve his original sentence.
Following his release in 2014, Gao was placed under house arrest in Shaanxi, where he did not receive adequate medical care despite health problems resulting from his imprisonment. In an attempt to escape surveillance, he sought help from activists in the central province of Shaanxi, but his whereabouts remain unknown since August 2017.
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) has repeatedly called on the Chinese government to clarify Gao's situation, most recently on the anniversary of his disappearance in August 2025. The UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor has also requested information about Gao and other detained activists. The UN has emphasized that any detention where the state denies access to the outside world constitutes an enforced disappearance, which can be considered a crime against humanity.
Despite ongoing international pressure, the Chinese government has consistently denied any involvement in Gao's disappearance. UN experts have deemed the failure to disclose information "totally unacceptable" and have urged China to uphold the rights of human rights defenders.
The CHRD has stated that Gao's courage lies in his ability to defend the last line of justice. The Chinese authorities have a legal obligation to clarify the whereabouts of Gao Zhisheng and ensure his safety and well-being. The international community continues to advocate for transparency and justice in this case, hoping for a resolution that brings closure to Gao's family and friends.
[1] Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders. (2025). CHRD Urges Chinese Government to Clarify the Situation of Gao Zhisheng. Retrieved from https://www.chrdd.org/2025/08/chrd-urges-chinese-government-to-clarify-the-situation-of-gao-zhisheng/
[2] Amnesty International. (2017). Gao Zhisheng: Disappeared Chinese Lawyer. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/08/gao-zhisheng-disappeared-chinese-lawyer/
[3] United Nations Human Rights. (2020). UN experts urge China to uphold rights of human rights defenders. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26322&LangID=E
[4] United Nations Human Rights. (2018). UN experts call on China to release detained human rights defenders. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23661&LangID=E
What happened to Gao Zhisheng, a human rights lawyer and advocate for free speech, since his disappearance in August 2017 remains unresolved, despite international pressure and concern from organizations such as the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders and UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor. The Chinese government has consistently denied any involvement in his disappearance and has failed to disclose any information about his whereabouts or condition, leading to accusations of enforced disappearance and a violation of human rights. This watchdog incident highlights the ongoing issues of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news in the context of human rights violations in China.
