A prominent human rights attorney who'd just returned to China after four weeks in the U.S. was arrested in Beijing Thursday.

The China Aid Association said public security bureau officers dragged Jiang Tianyong away from his home and beat his wife in front of their 7-year-old daughter.

While in the U.S., Jiang spoke out about the unjust treatment of human rights lawyers and Christians in China.

"Lawyers like us, sometimes we are even beaten and warned that we should not represent the client or we will lose our jobs," Jiang told CBN News earlier this month. "But we believe for religious freedom the price is worth it."

The U.S. government registered a formal complaint with the Chinese government.

Jiang was released 14 hours after his arrest.