The fate of supporters and relatives of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng remained uncertain after his dramatic escape from house arrest last week.
Chen, a self-taught legal advocate who exposed forced abortions and sterilisations in Shandong province, fled from round-the-clock detention last Sunday and is believed to be sheltering at the US embassy in Beijing.
Chen and his family had been confined to his village home in Linyi, Shandong, since September 2010, when he was released from more than four years in jail on what his supporters say were trumped-up charges.
The fate of Chen Guangcheng's wife and two young children remain unknown, say fellow activists, who fear the family might be subjected to torture by local officials angered by Chen's escape.
Another activist, Hu Jia , who met Chen at a secret location in Beijing last week, was taken away by police on Saturday afternoon but was released yesterday after 24 hours.
Hu confirmed his release via a text message last night but could not be reached for comment. He told Cable TV that police questioned him over how Chen fled from his village and who helped him. Zhongcang police station staff hung up when a reporter phoned yesterday.
Hu, who was himself jailed for more than three years on subversion charges, was summoned by police after he explained to reporters over the weekend how Chen managed to slip away from heavy guard. Earlier, Hu said he faced a lengthier prison term if he breached the conditions of his release, which included giving media interviews.