Scholar Held on Visit to China, Group Says

A Chinese-born scholar from American University in Washington has been detained by Chinese police for nearly six weeks, and her husband and 5-year-old son were held separately for nearly a month before being reunited and allowed to leave China, a human rights group said Wednesday.

Gao Zhan was picked up Feb. 11 at the Beijing airport with her husband and son as they were leaving after a family visit, Human Rights in China said. Her husband, Xue Donghua, and son were released 26 days later and returned to the United States.

Word of Gao’s detention came as President Bush was preparing to meet this week with Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen. Human Rights in China appealed to Bush to ask Qian to have Gao released.

Gao, a political scientist, is the third Chinese-born researcher in as many years to be detained during a visit home. A Stanford University expert on China’s military who was arrested in 1998 was sentenced last November to 10 years in prison on espionage charges.

In a statement released by Human Rights in China, Gao’s husband said police questioned him repeatedly about her research and two visits she made to Taiwan.

Xue said police refused to explain why his wife was detained. He said police refused to let him see their son, Andrew, unless he provided damaging information about her.

“I completely believe that my wife is innocent,” Xue was quoted as saying.

The U.S. Embassy declined comment, citing privacy laws. But a spokesman said the human rights group’s account was consistent with its information.

Gao’s son is a U.S. citizen, but authorities failed to inform the embassy of his detention as required by treaty, according to Human Rights in China. It quoted Xue as saying his son was traumatized by being held separately from his parents.

Chinese police refused to comment.

Gao is also treasurer of the Assn. of Chinese Political Studies, an American scholars group.