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BEIJING -- Chinese authorities on Friday blocked prominent humanrights lawyers from representing the nephew of blind activist ChenGuangcheng, assigning him two government-appointed lawyers instead,the rights attorneys said. Chen Kegui, 32, is accused of attempted homicide in a clash he hadwith local officials in Shandong province who stormed his houselooking for his uncle. Chen Guangcheng, who escaped illegal house arrest in his rural townlast month, sought the protection of U.S. diplomats and is now inhospital awaiting permission to travel to the U.S. to study, in acase that has highlighted the impunity with which local officialsbend the law to stifle dissent. Supporters of Chen, who exposed forced abortions and otherwrongdoing by local officials, fear that his relatives are at riskof retribution from local officials angry at Chen's escape. Attorney Ding Xikui said police in Yinan county told him Fridaythat Chen Kegui, who is being held in a county detention center,asked for legal aid and that judicial authorities assigned him twolawyers. According to Chinese law, every suspect can only be representedby two lawyers. So we have no way of intervening now. They are notallowing us to see him, Ding said in a phone interview. Lawyers Ding Xikui and Si Weijiang were the latest among more thanhalf a dozen activist attorneys who had volunteered to representChen Kegui. Other lawyers who have tried to take up Chen Kegui'scase say they have been threatened or been unable to renew theirlegal licenses. Ding said that Chen might have decided to seek legal aid because hedid not know that the activist lawyers had been given power ofattorney by his wife. He said police rejected his request to seeChen to discuss the question of who would defend him. They should let us see him once to discuss the issue of whoshould represent him, to see if he still wants to be represented bythe legal aid-appointed lawyers or by the lawyers appointed by hisfamily, he said. Chen Kegui allegedly hacked at local officials with knives. ChenGuangcheng says Chen Kegui was defending himself after beingbrutally beaten. Chen said Sunday that his nephew was beaten sobadly in the clash that his pants were shredded. I am an expert from householdwaterpurifiers.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Water Filters For Washing Machines Manufacturer , Kitchen Water Filtration, Household Water Purifiers,and more.
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