Two Americans and Chinese Lawyer Denied Application for Prison Visit by Zhejiang Provincial Authority
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HANGZHOU, Zhejiang, Oct. 14, 2013 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Accompanied by a distinguished Chinese lawyer, a Washington, D.C. physician, along with her colleague and the wife and daughter (
photo) of an imprisoned Chinese Christian dissident, went to the Zhejiang Justice Bureau in the capital of the eastern province at 11 a.m. China Standard Time to appeal the decision of the Zhejiang No. 4 Prison to deny the physician the right to examine the prisoner.
Photo above: Mr. Zhu Yufu's wife Ms. Jiang Hangli (left), Dr. Devra Marcus (center) and Attorney Professor Zhang Zanning (right) in front of Bureau of Justice of Zhejiang Province on October 14, 2013 (credit ChinaAid) hi-resolution available.
The lawyer, Zhang Zanning, was prepared to formally petition for Chinese dissident Zhu Yufu's early release from jail on the basis of Zhu's precarious physical and mental health and the fact that Zhu has served more than 1/3 of his sentence.
Physician Devra Marcus and her associate Kody Kness were denied entrance to the Justice Bureau building. Zhang was also denied permission to enter despite showing officials his law license and an introductory letter from his law firm. The officials repeatedly made obstructive requests of Zhang in what appears to have been an attempt to dissuade his efforts, according to Zhu's wife, Jiang Hangli. However, Zhang appealed the denial and other matters involving Zhu's treatment and incarceration.
In a telephone interview with Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, Jiang Hangli expressed deep gratitude on behalf of herself and her family to all those in the international community who have been praying and working tirelessly for her husband's freedom.
"We will not relent until Mr. Zhu is free and treated humanely," Fu said.
Marcus and Kness were deeply disappointed at being denied even the opportunity to apply for a humanitarian visit to Zhu. Such a visit is possible according to the Zhejiang No. 4 Prison's own regulations. Marcus said that she would have even been happy to have obtained assurance the Zhu would be properly examined and treated by a qualified cardiologist.
Marcus and Kness intend to fly out of Shanghai on Tuesday, putting them on U.S. soil on Wednesday.
Zhang Zanning Bio:
Zhang Zanning, a well-known attorney-at-law in China, was born in 1945 in Cixi, Zhejiang, and graduated from Jiangxi Secondary Medical School in 1964, and used to serve as a practitioner and physician at Henggang Hospital in Ruichang, a physician-in-charge at the Eighth People's Hospital in Nanchang, deputy director and deputy research fellow of the Institute of Law of Jiangxi Social Science Academy, and director of the Center for Rights Protection of the Disadvantaged, Jiangxi Social Science Academy. Mr. Zhang is currently a professor of the Law School of Southeast University, director of Health Law Institute, a lawyer of Jiangsu Chen Gong Law Firm, and a special-term professor of Capital Medical University.
Here are several other links to ChinaAid stories about Zhu Yufu and about Dr. Devra Marcus' situation:
