{"id":145257,"date":"2012-10-25T00:07:20","date_gmt":"2012-10-25T07:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=145257"},"modified":"2020-09-30T16:53:59","modified_gmt":"2020-09-30T23:53:59","slug":"chinese-gov-sets-obstacles-for-bos-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2012\/10\/chinese-gov-sets-obstacles-for-bos-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Government Accused of Obstructing Bo Xilai Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"
As Bo Xilai awaits criminal charges<\/a>, family and friends have accused the Chinese government of setting obstacles in the path of any independent legal defense<\/strong><\/a>. From William Wan at The Washington Post:<\/p>\n Bo\u2019s immediate family has been warned not to hire any lawyers, according to two people close to his wife\u2019s family. And two lawyers retained by his mother-in-law on his behalf have been unable to visit the formerly powerful party chief, they said, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal.<\/p>\n [\u2026] According to others involved, the lawyers plan to go to Bo\u2019s prison in coming days in a last-ditch effort to see him if authorities do not respond to their request for access to him.<\/p>\n Rejecting such face-to-face meetings has become a standard way for the Chinese government to thwart independent representation in politically sensitive cases that could embarrass the party.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Wan adds that Bo’s wife Gu Kailai, who has already received a suspended death sentence<\/a>, has also been kept in a secret location and denied family visits<\/a>.<\/p>\n