Chen Guangcheng – A thorn in the side of the Chinese leadership

Chen Guangcheng has recently become a focal point for those who complain about the authoritarian line taken by the Chinese rulership. Developing almost total blindness after birth, he still was able to study law and represented the poor in his home province, especially fighting against the one child per couple rule. As a result of going against party policy, he was arrested and put in jail for 4 years and after being released in 2010 was confined to house arrest in Dongshigu Village where he grew up. After a video last year of his wife and himself being beaten up was received by Amnesty International, his case was taken up by the British Foreign office and US State department. Somehow he escaped from custody and fled to the US Embassy in Beijing, however he was injured in the attempt and a deal seems to have been reached for him to receive medical attention. Latest news states that the Chinese have threatened his beat his wife and child prompting him to come out into the open, and in the process raising the diplomatic tensions between the US and China.