A rights lawyer says the older brother of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has returned to his village in eastern China after escaping guards on Tuesday and travelling to Beijing.

Attorney Ding Xikui said Sunday that he was told by a friend of the family that Chen Guangfu had returned to Dongshigu village after seeking legal advice in the capital about how to protect his son from what he says are retaliatory criminal charges.

Chen Kegui has been charged with attempted murder following a clash with officials who burst into his home after discovering his uncle had fled.

Chen Guangcheng, escaped house arrest in April, seeking protection at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The situation created a diplomatic standoff between the U.S. and China that was resolved when Beijing allowed him to fly to the U.S. to study.

Human rights activists say the authorities have increased their repression against Chen Guangcheng's family, who have been effectively under house arrest in Dongshigu.