Zhang Sizhi, lawyer for detained journalist, points to legal breach by authorities

Veteran mainland rights lawyer Zhang Sizhi, who represents arrested journalist Gao Yu, said yesterday the authorities have breached the law by failing to notify her family of her formal arrest a month and a half ago.

"There is one thing over which the investigation authorities have failed to act in accordance with the law," the 87-year-old lawyer said in response to a reporter's question at a press briefing at the Hong Kong Book Fair. "They have already arrested Gao Yu on May 30, but as far as I know, up until now, [they] have not notified the family - this has seriously violated the law," Zhang said.

Gao, 70, an outspoken journalist who has published many exclusive stories on Communist Party leaders, was taken away by Beijing police on April 24 and later placed in criminal detention on charges of revealing state secrets.

The footage of Gao making a confession expressing "deep remorse" over allegedly leaking a confidential party document was aired on China Central Television in early May.

Zhang made many attempts to meet her since then but has only been allowed to see her once, in late June.