A prominent human rights lawyer in China has appealed for international help in securing his protection. China Aid Association reports that Gao Zhisheng issued an open letter yesterday after a series of incidents in which his safety, and even his life, have been threatened.

The letter details how he, his wife and 12-year-old daughter have been threatened by secret agents over the past few days and closely followed, at times by over 20 agents. Several times the security cars were driven in such a way as to cause Mr Gao's car to be struck, almost causing a serious accident. Mr Gao reports that when he reprimanded the agents for their dangerous driving, his life was threatened.

Mr Gao's legal practice licence is due to be revoked by the Beijing Bureau of Justice; an action widely criticised as being designed to halt Mr Gao's human rights defence work.

Amongst other key cases, Mr Gao has been defending the prominent case of Pastor Cai and his family, the Beijing pastor sentenced to three years for illegal production of Bibles and other Christian literature on 8th November.

Another of Pastor Cai's lawyers was targeted by the authorities in the context of President Bush's visit to China. Mr. Zhang Xingshui, a director of the Beijing Jingding Law Firm was warned not to engage in any "unofficial activities" and told to leave Beijing and stay at a verifiable address in Tianjin City, approximately 100 miles away.

Mr Zhang was just one of a number targeted prior to the US President 's visit. The Xuanwu District Public Security Bureau office in Beijing purchased air tickets to Sichuan Province for Beijing house church activist Mr. Hua Huiqi and his evangelist wife Wei Jumei on 17th November in order to avoid any potential contact with President Bush. The couple were allowed to return to Beijing on 21st November but were required to stay in a hotel rather than return to their home.

Another key Christian figure in Beijing, Pastor Zhang Mingxuan, was also removed from the city. Pastor Zhang and his son, Zhang Chuang, were placed in a car by several security agents from Henan Province and driven away from Beijing on November 18th. They were detained and closely monitored in a government guest hotel in Sheqi County in Henan until President Bush left China. Pastor Zhang's cell phone was removed from him until he was released. Pastor Zhang is the leader of the Chinese House Church Association, which consists of over 50 house church leaders from 20 provinces.

The visit of President Bush highlighted the pressure faced by Christian groups in China. During his visit he raised religious freedom issues and attended a church. On the eve of his visit the evangelical group South China Church issued an appeal to President Bush to raise their plight with the Chinese authorities. The South China Church has been the victim of a harsh religious persecution campaign which has seen its leaders imprisoned, tortured, hospitalised and even, in one case, killed. A number of leaders were sentenced to death and the cases were only retried after an appeal from the US President. The letter asks for concern to be communicated on their behalf and for the cases to be reopened in the Chinese courts.

The letter describes the very severe torture that members of the South China Church have been subjected to. A number of accounts of torture and hospitalisation of Christians for their faith have emerged in recent months. The UN's Special Rapporteur on torture began a long-awaited visit to China on Monday, in which he will visit Beijing, Urumqi, Yining and Lhasa, meet with officials and visit detention facilities during a two week trip. CSW hopes that China will take on board the broad concerns about severe mistreatment of religious believers and others and reform policy and practice to bring them into line with international standards.

CSW's Stuart Windsor stated: 'It is very concerning that while the spotlight of international scrutiny and attention is on China's human rights, she would so overtly target a prominent champion of human rights. This is especially so as Mr Gao is seeking to protect the population through the application of China's law. We hope that China will take the opportunity of international exchange to evaluate its policy and practice and bring Chinese law into conformity with international standards on human rights and those who protect them.'

International agencies are calling for international expressions of support and concern for Mr Gao. Mr Gao can be contacted at +86- 10-81990759 or on gaozhisheng@263.net The Director of the Bureau of Justice of Beijing City, Mr. Wu Yuhua, can be contacted at +86-10-58575683 or on webmaster@bjsf.gov.cn