By Bo Gu, NBC News
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and his family are due to leave Beijing on Saturday for the United States, NBC News has learned.
Chen, a 40-year-old legal activist, escaped from house arrest in northeastern China last month and fled 300 miles to Beijing, where he took refuge in the U.S. Embassy.
He had been restricted to his home in the village of Linyi, Shandong province, since September 2010 – when he was released from prison – after campaigning against forced abortions.
After staying in the embassy for several days, he said he had received assurances from the Chinese authorities and left to get treatment at a hospital in Beijing for injuries he sustained during his escape.
The Chinese government then said he would be able to apply to study abroad and he was offered a university fellowship in the United States.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for more details.
