Lawyer for Chinese activist nephew can’t visit him

A lawyer for the imprisoned nephew of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng says his legal team will likely miss Thursday’s deadline to file an appeal because authorities have denied their requests to meet with him.

Blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng made a daring escape from house arrest and fled to the US Embassy in Beijing in April. He’s now living in New York. His nephew, Chen Kegui, was convicted two weeks ago of attacking officials who stormed his house looking for his uncle and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

Lawyer Ding Xikui says requests to meet with Chen have been turned down repeatedly by the Yinan Detention Centre, where he’s being held.

Ding said on Wednesday: “Chen Kegui’s family insists on appealing, but we must get the approval from Chen himself.”