Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng yesterday “reluctantly” left the US embassy where he had sought protection after fleeing house arrest, following a deal with Beijing, a US-based rights group said.
China Aid said “reliable sources”told it that Beijing had made threats against relatives of the 40-year-old legal campaigner.
US officials had hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in China for pre-arranged talks that Beijing had pledged Mr Chen and his family would be treated “humanely” and moved to a safe place.
Victoria Nuland, of the State Department, denied any threats, but said Chinese officials made clear Mr Chen’s family would be returned home to the eastern province oShandong – where they suffered repeated abuse – if he remained at the embassy.
China Aid said: “Mr Chen’s decision for departure from the US embassy was done reluctantly because ‘serious threat to his immediate family members were made by Chinese government’ if Mr Chen refuses to accept the Chinese government’s offer.
“We are deeply concerned about this sad development if reports about his involuntary departure is true,” added the group, run by exiled Chinese activist Bob Fu.
Zeng Jinyan, wife of the dissident activist Hu Jia, who metMr Chen after his escape, claimed his wife had said he “did not want to leave the embassy”.
Chen, who riled Chinese authorities by exposing forced abortions and sterilisations under the “one-child” policy, fled house arrest on April 22. In a video address to Premier Wen Jiabao after his escape, the activist alleged he, his wife and young child suffered repeated abuses by local officials.
Ms Clinton said the US remained “committed” to the legal campaigner, whose treatment she has repeatedly criticised.
She said: “Mr Chen has a number of understandings with the Chinese government about his futur. Making these commitments a reality is the next crucial task.”
But China’s foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said: “The US needs to stop making every excuse to shift responsibility and conceal its own wrongdoing.”
He said the US should not “interfere” in China’s domestic affairs and urged it to “take necessary measures to prevent a similar incident”.