Chen Guangcheng's relatives facing growing abuse Chen Guangcheng became a global symbol of human rights violations in his native China last April when he launched a cinematic escape from house arrest and triggered a diplomatic incident between Washington and Beijing by seeking refuge inside the US embassy. On May 19, after fierce negotiations between the two sides, he was allowed to leave China for New York where he now lives with his wife and two children. But most of Mr Chen's family remained in their village and, as this anniversary of his departure approaches, relatives claim they have become the target of a growing campaign of intimidation and harassment Chen Guangfu, the lawyer's 56-year-old brother, said he believed the campaign was a form of retaliation for the activist's continued outspokenness as well as plans to visit Taiwan in June. He claimed the campaign of intimidation was intended "to pressure Guangcheng," who reportedly remains heavily involved in human rights campaigning in China despite now living in the US. On Tuesday, Chen Guangcheng took to Twitter to claim that the attacks on his family had "escalated" at around 2.11am that morning when two cars pulled up outside their home and began smashing beer bottles against the building. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph in early April Mr Chen rejected hopes that China's new leaders would initiate positives reforms as "wishful thinking." "In reality, the new regime is just a continuation of the old regime," he said, adding: "The future of China is actually in the hands of the Chinese people, not a few Emperors." Meanwhile it was reported that Chen Guangcheng's nephew, Chen Kegui, had been refused medical parole despite suffering from appendicitis. Chen Kegui was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly attacking government officials who stormed his home in the wake of his uncle's escape last April. Calls to public security authorities in Shandong province went unanswered on Tuesday, a national holiday in China.