(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Yang Jianpo from Langfang City, Hebei Province was illegally arrested on February 5, 2006. The arresting officers were from the Guangyang District National Security Division. Immediately after the arrest, Mr. Yang went on a hunger strike that has lasted 18 months. Currently, doctor(s) at the Central Hospital's Internal Medicine Section of the Jidong Prison Division 4 are force-feeding him eight times a day. Yang Jianpo can no longer take care of himself and breathes through a ventilator. A prison doctor said he could die at any moment. The hospital authorities are waiting for higher officials to give orders to disconnect all life support.

Yang Jianpo, 43 years old, lived in Langfang City and made a living selling ceramic chinaware. Before he practiced Falun Gong he was one of the most notorious local bullies and used to get in fights all the time. The police, tax bureau, administration officials and even gangs did not dare touch him. He had a lot of bad habits.

Yang Jianpo and his wife started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. He changed into a kind and forgiving person. For the first time he paid his taxes and mended his relationship with his wife, rebuilding a family that was on the verge of a break-up. His story moved many people to tears during a Falun Gong cultivation experience sharing conference in Langfang City.

Although no one dared to cross him when he was a villain, the Communist regime repeatedly persecuted him after he became a good person. For the past eight years of the Party persecuting Falun Gong, right and wrong have been completely reversed.

Yang Jianpo, his wife and many other Falun Gong practitioners went to Beijing on September 5, 1999, just to say what they knew was true: "Falun Dafa is good!" Yang Jianpo was illegally sentenced to forced labor and was held at the Wanzhuang Forced Labor Camp in Langfang City. He was compelled to do slave labor and was subjected to corporal punishment, but he still safeguarded his belief in Truth, Compassion, Forbearance. He was transferred to the notorious Gaoyang Forced Labor Camp. In the hot summer, the guards locked him outside to metal ring(s) that were fixed on the ground for two-and-a-half months under the scorching sun. He was not given any food or water, and he was exposed to the scorching sun, rain and wind, and poisonous insects. He could not move even a little. The police also often took him to the office in the middle of the night to interrogate him. Nevertheless, he persevered and left the labor camp in July 2002.

He was arrested by officers from Fengrun District, Tangshan City in March 2003 and taken to a local interrogation room. He was savagely beaten and shocked for three days straight. The officers wrapped copper wires around his fingers and ran electric current through him. They kept increasing the electric current to maximize the pain. According to someone who underwent this torture, it's so excruciating it can make a person go insane.

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Guo Xiaohui also suffered this torture, causing damage to her heart. Another practitioner Sun Jianzhong was shocked for seven days straight. He screamed in pain and foamed at the mouth. The officers shoved a towel into his mouth and continued to shock him. One month later when Sun Jianzhong met with fellow practitioner Mr. An at the detention center, Sun Jianzhong's fingers were still black as the skin and flesh were charred. As for Yang Jianpo, the officers shocked him while grinding his toes with their boots, but they could never alter his belief.

Officers from the Guangyang District Police Department arrested Mr. Yang again on February 20, 2004. He was taken to the Kaiping Forced Labor Camp in Tangshan City on February 28, 2004. His weight dropped from 90 kg [198 lbs] to 50 kg [110 lbs] during detention. He weighed only 40 kg [88 lbs] when he went home on June 8, 2004.

Yang Jianpo, Cao Baoyu and other practitioners were arrested on February 5, 2006 while explaining the facts to government officials. They were tortured to the verge of death. Agents from the Guangyang District 610 Office in Langfang City transferred them to the Guangyang District People's Hospital to further persecute them. Practitioner Cao Baoyu passed away in the evening on April 27, 2006.

After several hospitals issued "Notice of Critical Condition" for Yang Jianpo, the court secretly sentenced him to prison without following any judicial process. At that time Yang Jianpo was diagnosed with electrolyte imbalance, heart disease, whole-body muscular atrophy, and respiratory failure. He needed constant care. Government policies stipulate that people in this condition must not be sent to prison. Yet, the Langfang City officials still incarcerated him.

Yang Jianpo held a hunger strike on the day of arrest that has lasted more than 500 days, or about 18 months. He is currently held at the Central Hospital at Division 4 of Jidong Prison. It is learned that it costs several hundred yuan a day to maintain Yang Jianpo's vital functions. The Langfang City 610 Office is covering the expenses while firmly refusing to let Yang Jianpo go home. The Langfang City 610 Office and Jidong Prison intend to pull the life support on Mr. Yang Jianpo.

Several months ago the hospital officials told Yang Jianpo's family, "He can die at any time" while also repeatedly emphasizing, "We've tried our best. If he dies, it's not our fault." Recently, the prison officials have stopped letting his family visit him. His family is anxious and worried about him.

Bi Jixiang, doctor at Division 4, in charge of force-feeding Yang Jianpo: Police No. 1311188
Li, male, head of Prison Affairs Section at Division 4: 86-13582570218 (cell), Police No. 1310618