(Minghui.org) After three and a half years of incarceration, 74-year-old Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zheng Guolin was released on January 6, 2014. He was extremely weak and thin due to the torture he suffered in prison. Despite his age, the Chinese Community Party (CCP) repeatedly persecuted him for his belief over the past 15 years.
Tortured to the Point of Hemoptysis in Prison
Mr. Zheng was illegally arrested by officers from the Daowai Police Station in Harbin City when he was distributing Shen Yun DVDs with two other practitioners on July 7, 2010. The Daowai Court illegally sentenced him to three and a half years in prison.
Mr. Zheng was first sent the Daowai Detention Center, and then transferred to the Hulan Prison where he was detained for five months.
Mr. Zheng was transferred to the Mudanjiang Prison on December 8, 2010. It was very cold in December. However, the guards took off all his clothes, tore up his garments and had him stand still in the hallway for quite a while.
This caused Mr. Zheng to run a fever and he was unable to eat anything. The guards tortured him for 12 days despite his older age and his obviously fragile health. Afterward, he was sent to the Elderly Ward where he was forced to do labor work including making cell phone boxes. Due to the severe torture he suffered, Mr. Zheng became extremely weak and began to have hemoptysis. The guards were afraid of being held responsible and sent him back to Hulan Prison.
Extortion
Prior to this, Mr. Zheng was arrested by two officers from the Heping Police Station when he was telling people the truth about Falun Gong on the street in late April 2004. He was subsequently sent to the No. 2 Detention Center.
The next day, the head of the police station, surnamed Sun, asked Mr. Zheng’s family to submit 3,000 yuan for a health examination with the Harbin Police Hospital. Mr. Zheng’s daughter had no choice but to give Sun 2,900 yuan.
On the day of the examination, Sun felt the line at the hospital was too long. So he took Mr. Zheng back without arranging any examination. However, he never returned the money to Mr. Zheng’s family.
Mr. Zheng appeared to have lung problems on the ninth day. He was released shortly afterward due to the health problems.
Recorded on CCP’s “Black List” for Speaking the Truth
Mr. Zheng used to suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, cholecystitis and lung disease. He began practicing Falun Gong in 1996, after which all his diseases disappeared and he became free of illnesses.
After the CCP started the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, Mr. Zheng went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong. He wanted to share his personal experience to let people know Falun Gong is good. However, the police arrested him and sent him back to Harbin City.
Mr. Zheng attended a fair in 2000 where he saw posters containing words that slandered Falun Gong. He attempted to leave the fair. However, before he could leave, the organizers demanded all attendees to answer a question - “Socialism or Falun Gong, which is better?” Mr. Zheng chose Falun Gong. As a result, the officers recorded his information in detail and passed it to the Acheng 610 Office. Agents from the 610 Office subsequently arrested him and sent him to the Shengli Police Station.
The 610 Office also put Mr. Zheng’s name on their black list, and as a result the police officers often went to his home and harassed him.
That year before the Chinese New Year, the police called Mr. Zheng and insisted he come to go to the police station for a so-called chat. When Mr. Zheng came in, they asked him if he still practiced Falun Gong. Mr. Zheng replied, “Yes.” The police arrested him and sent him to the Acheng First Detention Center where he was detained for 32 days.
While incarcerated in the detention center, the guards asked Mr. Zheng every day if he agreed to stop practicing Falun Gong. They told him that as long as he signed a statement promising not to practice anymore, he would be released immediately. Mr. Zheng refused to sign it and remained steadfast in his belief.
As a result, the guards severely tortured him, attempting to force him to give up his belief. The torture was so brutal that Mr. Zheng lost consciousness. His blood pressure rose and he was sent to the hospital.
