Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 23, 2009

China Releases Prominent Human Rights Lawyer on Bail
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=262A99D:A6F02AD83191E1600C56EFB97643289921A4E82C900CD027&
 
Xu Zhiyong, co-founder of a legal-aid group known as the Open
Constitution Initiative was formally arrested last Tuesday on charges of
tax evasion 
A leading Chinese human rights lawyer says he was released from
detention Sunday, but still might face prosecution on charges of tax
evasion. Legal scholar Xu Zhiyong is seen at a meeting in Beijing, China
(File Photo - 17 Jul 2009)Xu Zhiyong, co-founder of a legal-aid group
known as the Open Constitution Initiative or Gongmeng, had been out of
contact since security officials seized him from his home on July 29. He
was formally arrested last Tuesday on charges of tax evasion. Xu said
Sunday he was released on bail pending trial. Chinese authorities shut
down the legal rights center more than a month ago for alleged
nonpayment of taxes. Members of the group reported nearly two weeks
later that Xu had been detained by police, and that they could not
contact him. The group has helped victims of China's tainted-milk
scandal and offered assistance in human-rights cases. It also has issued
a report criticizing the Chinese government's policies toward Tibet.
Rights groups say!
  the latest developments are part of a widening crackdown on lawyers,
rights activists and non-governmental organizations ahead of the 60th
anniversary of the Chinese communist state. Preparations are under way
for a huge official celebration of the anniversary on October 1. Rights
activists expect the government will try to prevent any public
demonstration of dissent during the festivities. China recently revoked
the licenses of 53 Beijing lawyers, most of them prominent human-rights
advocates. Amnesty International has condemned the crackdown on lawyers
as a major blow to the human-rights defense movement in China. In a
widely quoted statement earlier this year, Xu said his Gongmeng group
aims to help build the rule of law and advance Chinese society by
objectively and independently studying human-rights protections, the
situation in Tibet and other issues. One of the government's main
charges against Xu's group alleges that no taxes were paid on a $100,000
grant the Open Constitution Initiative received from Yale University. Xu
has be
en a visiting scholar at Yale Law School on several occasions. Some
information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.


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