Zhang Siyou

Mr. Zhang Siyou, 51, lived in Beiguan Village of the Shengcheng Sub-district in Shouguang City. Mr. Zhang's whole family started practicing Falun Gong in 1996. They tried to be good people, following Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance). The whole family benefited physically and mentally and enjoyed a harmonious life. They also used their home as a local practice site. On the evening of July 20, 1999, five or six people from the town and village government suddenly came to Mr. Zhang's home and told them they were no longer allowed to practice Falun Gong. Afterward, Mr. Zhang's family was watched day and night. Police cars parked outside their door and the whole family lost their personal freedom. Two days later, Mr. Zhang Siyou and his second daughter were arrested and forced to attend an "education class" for brainwashing. One hundred yuan for living expenses per day was deducted from their wages. After a few days, they were told to pay 12,000 yuan or they would not be released. By this time, they had been illegally fined a total of 18,000 yuan.

After this experience, Mr. Zhang's family was often harassed, and Mr. Zhang's body and mind were greatly harmed. In 2000, Mr. Zhang's second daughter was arrested and not released until January 19, 2001. For six months, the town government illegally detained him. One day she was detained in a dark room, where five or six people gave her a severe beating after covering her head with a winter coat. She almost lost consciousness from the beating and her body was covered with bruises. Mr. Zhang witnessed his daughter's arrest and saw how she was beaten. This depressed him even more than when he was arrested and beaten himself. It is hard to count how many times Mr. Zhang's daughter was arrested and beaten like that.

Mr. Zhang's wife had cerebral thrombus and could not take care of herself. They also have a child who was still middle-school age. Their daughter was arrested many times and their family was often harassed, especially around politically sensitive dates. Due to these physical and mental attacks, Mr. Zhang Siyou developed liver cancer and died on August 9, 2001.