【新唐人2011年8月17日訊】美國副總統拜登8月17號到22號對中國進行正式訪問，在此之前，北京著名維權律師高智晟5年緩刑期已滿，但至今已「被失蹤」一年多沒有任何音訊。高智晟的妻子耿和希望拜登能把高智晟的問題帶到中國，敦促中共當局釋放高智晟，並呼籲國際社會繼續關注高智晟的安危。
拜登訪華期間，將與中共領導人胡錦濤、溫家寶、習近平會談。《美國之音》指出，拜登此行著重討論經濟問題，也將討論人權、台灣和西藏問題。美國財政部國際事務次長佈雷納德說，拜登將繼續在匯率問題上對中國施加壓力。
總部設在美國德州的基督教團體「對華援助協會」，呼籲拜登訪華期間，把敦促釋放高智晟作為重要的外交議題之一。
15號，歐洲議會主席布澤克(Jerzy Buzek)發表書面聲明表示，中共對待高智晟的做法是令人不能接受的，「我們擔心發生最壞的情況」。布澤克呼籲中共當局遵守人權和最基本的國際法，儘快釋放高智晟。
高智晟律師曾代理法輪功學員、家庭教會、拆遷戶等敏感維權案件，2005年前後，高智晟三次上書中共領導人，揭露對法輪功慘絕人寰的迫害，要求立即停止這種滅絕人性的迫害。
2006年8月15號，高智晟被當局秘密拘捕﹔同年12月，北京法院以「煽動顛覆國家政權罪」，對他判刑3年，緩刑5年。他此後絕大部分時間處於遭國保綁架失蹤的狀態。
耿和：「我這幾天一直給家裏打電話，一直沒有高智晟的消息。他大哥也非常著急，他大哥前幾天也寫了尋人啟事，讓我放在網絡上，看有沒有知情人能提供一些線索。大哥也經常給北京國保打電話，他們有時接，有時不接，接了也說不知道，走丟了，就是以這種理由搪塞，所以家裏人都很氣憤。」
2009年，高智晟一篇題為《黑夜、黑頭套、黑幫綁架》的文章在網上曝光，披露了他在2007年被監禁期間，遭受警方殘酷毆打、電擊生殖器和嘴巴、香煙熏眼睛、生殖器插牙籤等酷刑，震驚國際社會。
前北京大學法學教授袁紅冰：「高智晟是一個真正的有良心的知識份子，是一個真正的堅持法律正義的律師，是一個為了真理而勇於獻身的人。他完全清楚他為法輪功精神修煉者伸張正義，在共產黨的極權專制統治之下他可能遇到甚麼後果，他完全清楚，但是他仍然這樣做了。」
2010年4月7號，失蹤一年多的高智晟，被中共安排接受《美聯社》採訪。事後，《美聯社》披露了他在「被失蹤」期間遭受虐待的細節，並公布了一張高智晟的近照，與過去判若兩人。
耿和：「他這個照片就是比我離開的時候老了十幾歲、近20歲的狀態。所以這張照片看了只是心碎，只是流淚。」
高智晟失蹤後，妻子兒女每天受到國保監控和騷擾。2009年初，耿和在友人的幫助下，帶著一對兒女逃離中國，目前居住在美國舊金山，他們一直盼望能與高智晟團聚。
西安維權律師張鑒康指出，當局長期將高智晟「強迫失蹤」，這是嚴重的非法犯罪。
張鑒康：「強迫失蹤實際上這種待遇是非常反人道的，國際人權法普遍的規定就是，這種強迫失蹤罪是一種反人類罪行。」
高智晟曾是」中國十大優秀律師」之一，兩次獲得諾貝爾和平獎提名。「對華援助協會」主席傅希秋牧師表示，過去兩年，已有來自185個國家的15萬多人簽名「釋放高智晟」請願行動。
北京維權律師謝燕益：「以高智晟律師為代表的所有維權律師是中國的脊樑，是中國的良心，他們應該得到公正的待遇，應該得到法律的保障，他們的人權是不容踐踏的，這個也是全中國人民、全社會、全世界的期待和關注。政府應該到了做出抉擇的時候了，如果現在還不做出抉擇，對於歷史是沒有辦法交代的。」
聯合國人權組織8月15號發表聲明指出，中共政府對維權律師高智晟的拘禁是違反國際法的，聲明呼籲立即釋放高智晟。
新唐人記者唐清梅、李元翰王明宇採訪報導。
U.S. VP Urges Gao』s Release
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is on an official visit to China
from August 17 through August 22.
The well-known human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng should
have finished his five-year probation period,
but has been missing for over a year.
Gao』s wife Geng He hopes that Biden can urge the Chinese
Communist authorities to release Gao Zhisheng.
She also calls upon the international community to continue
to focus on Gao’s safety.
During his visit, Biden will meet with the communist party
(CCP) leaders Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao and Xi Jinping.
Voice of America said Biden’s visit will focus on economic
issues, human rights, Taiwan and Tibetan issues.
Lael Brainard, the United States Undersecretary of the
Treasury for International Affairs, said that
Biden would continue to put pressure on China
regarding the exchange rate issue.
Texas-based Christian group China Aid Association called
upon Biden to urge the Chinese authorities to release Gao.
On Aug. 15, President of European Parliament Jerzy Buzek
issued a written statement saying that
the CCP』s treatment of Gao is unacceptable.
“We fear the worst."
Buzek called on the CCP authorities to respect basic human
rights and international law, and release Gao immediately.
As a lawyer, Gao has represented Falun Dafa practitioners,
house churches and evicted residents in sensitive cases.
In 2005, Gao wrote three petition letters to the CCP leaders
to uncover the brutal persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners.
He also called for an immediate termination
of such inhuman persecution.
On Aug.15, 2006, Gao was secretly arrested by authorities.
In December, the Beijing court sentenced him three years
in prison and placed him on probation for five years.
His alleged “crime” was “inciting subversion of state power."
Since then, he has been kidnapped by
the National Security Bureau.
I have been calling home all the time these days,
but there』s no information about Gao Zhisheng.
His brother is also very anxious. A few days ago, he wrote a
“missing person” notice and asked me to put it online.
His brother often calls Beijing National Security Bureau.
Most of the time, they do not respond.
Even if they respond, they just say they do not know.
Our whole family is angry at their excuses.
Soon after his permanent disappearance in 2009,
one of his articles describing his torture was published.
It is titled, “Dark Night, Dark Hood,
and Kidnapping by Dark Mafia.”
It detailed brutal beatings, electric batons shocking his genitals,
cigarettes irritating his nose and eyes,
and toothpicks being inserted into his genitals,
all during his previous detainment in 2007.
These shocked the international community.
Yuan Hongbing (former Peking University law professor):
Gao Zhisheng is a real conscientious intellectual,
a lawyer that truly upholds justice, and
a courageous man willing to sacrifice himself for the truth.
He was fully aware of the danger of speaking up for
Falun Dafa practitioners under the Communist dictatorship.
He understood the consequences, but still he did it.
On April 7, 2010, after missing for a year, Gao was arranged
by the CCP to have an interview with Associated Press.
Later, Associated Press revealed the details of his abuse
during detainment, and released his photos,
in which he looked like a different person.
Geng He: In this picture, he looks ten to twenty years older
than when I left him. It is simply heartbreaking!"
After Gao’s disappearance, his wife and children suffered
continuous harassment from the National Security Bureau.
In 2009, Geng and their two children fled China for the U.S.
They have been looking forward to the reunion with Gao.
Zhang Jiankang, human rights lawyer in Xi』an, China,
said that it is a serious crime to make Gao disappear.
Zhang Jiankang: Abduction by a government is a crime
against humanity, as per international human rights laws.
Gao was named one of Ten Outstanding Chinese lawyers,
and was twice a Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
China Aid Association says that in the past two years,
more than 150,000 people from 185 countries have
signed the petition “releasing Gao Zhisheng."
Xie Yanyi (Beijing human rights lawyer):
Gao and other human rights lawyers are
the “spiritual backbone” of China.
They are China’s conscience.
They should receive fair treatment and legal protection.
Their human rights cannot be trampled upon.
This is the concern of all the Chinese people and of the world.
It is time for the government to make a choice.
Otherwise they cannot explain their actions to history.
UN』s human rights organizations issued a statement
on Aug.15 saying that the CCP』s detention of Gao is
a violation of international law.
It called for the immediate release of Gao Zhisheng.
NTD reporters Tang Qingmei, Li Yuanhan and Wang Mingyu