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|nationality = [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]]
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'''Gao Zhisheng''' ({{zh|c=高智晟}}, b. 1966) is a [[People's Liberation Army|Chinese army]] veteran and [[self-taught]] [[lawyer]]. He was described by the ''New York Times'' as "one of China’s most high-profile human rights lawyers."<ref name=ny-missing/> He has been disbarred, detained, and tortured by the Chinese secret police after taking on human rights cases.<ref name=nyt1134536400/>
Those he has defended included fellow activists, and religious minorities like [[Falun Gong]] and [[Chinese house church|Chinese underground Christians]]. He has also written open letters to Chinese leaders denouncing the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners, and another open letter to the United States Congress <ref>http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-9-27/60173.html</ref>. In 2006, he wrote a memoir on his life and work, ''[[A China More Just]]'', the English translation of which was subsequently published in 2007.<ref name=memoir>[http://www.broadpressusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=10 “Memoir of Top Chinese Lawyer Published as His Whereabouts Unknown”] Broad Press USA (2007-10-25) Retrieved on 2008-10-08.</ref> Gao's disappearance on 4 February 2009, and the authorities disavowal of his whereabouts sparked concerns about his safety.<ref name=ny-missing/> When he resurfaced in March 2010, having been charged with subversion, he said he would no longer criticise the government.<ref name=nyt_surfaces/><ref name=RTHK8Apr10>[http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?englishnews&20100408&56&659214 China rights lawyer quits activism], RTHK, 8 April 2010</ref> He disappeared once again on 21 April 2010.
== Background ==
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