HONG KONG (UCAN) -- The wife of 36-year-old Chen Guangcheng, an imprisoned blind activist, was stopped at Beijing airport on her way to accept a 2007 Ramon Magsaysay award on behalf of her husband.

On the morning of Aug. 24, authorities confiscated Yuan Weijing's passport at the Beijing Capital International Airport and detained her for further investigation, Cable TV in Hong Kong reported Aug. 24.

A source told UCA News the same day that her whereabouts are unknown.

According to an open letter from Yuan, dated Aug. 19, Chen said he felt glad and encouraged to learn about the award when his relatives visited him in Linyi Prison in Shandong province. He expressed his wish to accept the award, but because of his situation said his wife would represent him.

The presentation is scheduled for Aug. 31 in Manila.

The China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, an NGO founded in Hong Kong in January 2007, has posted Yuan's letter on its website (www.chrlcg-hk.org/?p=170).

Yuan said in the letter that she had already secured a visa from the Philippine government and bought an airplane ticket to Manila. Her flight was scheduled to depart at noon on Aug. 24.

Chen, one of three Chinese recipients of this year's Magsaysay Awards, had revealed in 2005 the brutal means used by a local government in implementing China's one-child policy. Subsequently, he was threatened.

In August 2006, he was charged with intentionally damaging property and gathering crowds to disrupt traffic. He has been jailed since January 2007. His prison term is expected to last until 2010.

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