Chen Guangcheng's Brother Flees Chinese Village

Chen Guangfu hoping to protect son from local officials
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted May 24, 2012 3:52 AM CDT
Activist's Brother Flees Chinese Village
Journalists who have attempted to visit Dongshigu village have been turned away.   (Getty Images)

The brother of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has followed in his younger brother's footsteps and fled their closely guarded village in Shandong province, reports AP. Chen Guangfu has made his way to Beijing with the help of supporters, and is now seeking legal advice on how to protect his son from what he believes is retaliation from local officials infuriated by the activist's escape from house arrest last month. He says he managed to elude village guards by avoiding roads and running through fields.

Chen Guangfu's son was arrested and accused of attempted murder after using a knife to fend off officials who had entered his home and were beating his mother after his uncle's escape. His father says he is "extremely pessimistic" about his son's prospects. Asked for his thoughts about his brother's new life in the US, the elder Chen said he should bring his family over to take a look. "So many people have said bad things about the United States. Someone even said he was like a dog that was kicked out of the US embassy," he tells Reuters. "But ultimately, he ended up in America. So I think the criticisms aren't justified." (More Chen Guangcheng stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X