Reports have indicated that his brother is currently in police custody and his elderly mother may also have been detained, along with his cousin and sister-in-law.
In addition, human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong was reportedly beaten for trying to visit Chen at the hospital.
A witness at the hearing said that she had previously spoken to Chen’s nephew who was “on the run” after slashing Chinese officials with a knife. He was concerned because a black car was following him, she said, and he later tried to surrender himself to Chinese authorities. His current status is not clear.
At a May 3 press conference, Reggie Littlejohn, who runs an international coalition to oppose forced abortion in China, publicized the plight of He Peirong, who played a key role in helping Chen escape.
Littlejohn said that she had been talking with He – known by her screen name “Pearl” – via Skype on the night when the Chinese discovered that Chen was missing. She said that He was alone and scared. They talked on an off throughout the night, until He suddenly stopped answering.
She “has not been heard from since,” Littlejohn said, adding that she was “very concerned that she is being tortured” by the Chinese government to get information on the other people involved in Chen’s escape.
On May 4, news broke that He had been released from custody and was safely home. In an interview with the BBC, she said that she had been confined to a hotel room, but was no longer worried when the story became public.
While she is “relieved and delighted” that He has been released, Littlejohn has emphasized that she must be included in whatever deal is struck to ensure the safety of Chen and his family.
Michelle La Rosa is deputy editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency. She has worked for CNA since 2011. She studied political philosophy and journalism at the University of Dallas.