For Seeking A Meeting In Beijing With President Obama Last Week, Human Rights Defender Arrested, Interrogated

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For Seeking A Meeting In Beijing With President Obama Last Week, Human Rights Defender Arrested, Interrogated

Less than 10 days after Chinese human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong testified before a Congressional panel, he was arrested by Chinese police just hours after President Obama departed China, prompting human rights activists to hold an emergency press conference to draw attention to his plight.

"Last week, human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong and other extraordinary human rights defenders asked for a meeting in Beijing with the leader of the free world who just happens to be this year's Nobel Peace prize winner and were emphatically told ‘no,'" said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04). "Such a meeting would have, should have, been the highlight of the trip. As a direct consequence for attempting a conversation with President Obama at the U.S. Embassy, the only meeting Jiang Tianyong got was harsh interrogation with Chinese police." Click here for Congressman's complete remarks.

Jiang testified on Nov. 10 before a hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) on human rights abuses connected to China. Smith chaired the hearing.

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