21/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - EP denounces reprisals against activist's family. On 21 May, the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, offered his support to Chinese human rights activist, Chen Guangcheng and his family. Schulz denounced the reprisals against the activist's family and indicated that the European Parliament was monitoring the situation with concern. At the opening of the plenary session, the EP president said that “the European Parliament cannot accept the fact that the family of a human rights activist is subject to measures of intimidation and reprisals”. Guangcheng fled the US Embassy in Peking last year and attended the European Parliament on 15 May (see EUROPE 10847) where he asserted that the Chinese government had beaten his brother and refuses to grant his imprisoned nephew essential medical care, as reprisals for his escape. (CG/transl.fl)