(Minhui.org) Mr. Li Zhanxian, 62, was illegally arrested and sent to a brainwashing center by the 610 Office. Nearly a month ago he started a hunger strike to protest this illegal detention.
Mr. Li was arrested just after he left home on August 21, 2014, by agents of the 610 Office and the local residential office. He was sent to the brainwashing center in Beihu District Communist Party School, Chenzhou City.
Every day, Mr. Li's wife has called Zhao Zhixun from Beihu District 610 Office and requested her husband's release. She told Zhao that, since her husband is over 60, he won't be able to survive the harsh conditions. Zhao turned her down.
Over the past 15 years, Mr. Li Zhanxian has been arrested and detained many times. He has been subjected to forced labor twice and was sentenced to jail once. He has been imprisoned for about six years in total.
Given Unknown Drugs in Detention Center and Forced Labor Camp
Mr. Li was arrested and taken to Chenzhou Detention Center on May 13, 2011, by Nanta Police Station officers. Guards in the detention center took the 80 yuan in his pocket. The toothpaste and towels that his wife asked someone to bring to the detention center were taken by someone. Only a few of his clothes were delivered to him. He was unable to wash his face, brush his teeth, or change into clean clothes. He started a hunger strike. One week later, guards gave him unknown injections. Meanwhile, Liao Ginggang, head of Suxian District Domestic Security Division, went to his home to harass his family every day and check on who visited his home.
Mr. Li was sent to Xinkaipu Forced Labor Camp on June 21. He was told he was sentenced to one year of forced labor but he was never given any legal document verifying the sentence.
The guards in the detention center ordered other inmates to search him. They took the only belongings he had, a piece of bread and a bag of pickles.
They ordered him to write the three statements to give up his belief. When he refused, inmate Yu Huan said, “If you don't, you'll either be tortured to death; beaten to death; or suffer a slow, painful death.” They berated him with curses the entire day.
When Guard Liu Chen ordered Mr. Li to repent, he said, “I haven't committed any crime. Why should I repent?” After Liu Chen left, others shoved lit cigarettes into his nostrils and sealed his mouth. They lit another as soon as one went out. Later Wang Chang held Mr. Li's hand and forced him to "write" the repentance statement.
Because he coughed, he was force-fed drugs, although he was told they were not necessarily for a cough. Mr. Li was released in 2012. Not long after he returned home, he started to have symptoms of drowsiness, headaches and memory loss, which lasted for several months.
Related article: Falun Gong Practitioners in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province Injected with Unknown Drugs
Sentenced to Jail for Three and Half Years and Subjected to Forced Interrogation
Mr. Li Zhanxian was arrested and sent to Guiyang Communist School on August 19, 2004 by Guiyang County police. They put handcuffs and shackles on him. They interrogated him and didn't let him sleep for five days. When he was totally exhausted and all but unconscious, he “confessed” and said whatever they wanted him to say.
On November 15 in Guiyang Court, his lawyer presented a powerful defense. During the five-hour hearing, Mr. Li was only allowed to say one word. The judge then adjourned. One court officer cursed his lawyer in the courtroom.
Despite the absence of sufficient evidence, he was sentenced to three and half years in jail. In mid-December 2004, he appealed to Chenzhou City Intermediate Court. Six months later, the original sentence was upheld.
Tortured in Prison
Mr. Li was sent to Wangling Prison in Yu County, Zhuzhou City, in September 2005. Upon his arrival, he was searched by deputy head Xu Biyan and Chen Zhigang from No. 2 Division. All of his belongings, including his toilet paper, were taken away. He was given a used prison uniform to wear.
Mr. Li refused to cooperate with the guards and was punished by Chen Zhigang. He had to stand straight facing the wall from 5 a.m. until 3 or 4 p.m. every day for nearly two months. Several inmates beat and kicked him.
Two inmates watched him 24 hours a day. They recorded everything he said or did. The inmates were not allowed to talk to him or they would be severely punished.
Guard Chen Zhigang shocked him with an electric baton on his head, ears, and other sensitive parts. Chen called more than ten inmates to beat and curse him. They held his feet and hands and stuffed his mouth with dirty clothes. Once Mr. Li was handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Several inmates punched him. As Chen Zhigang shocked him, he yelled, “Yes, I'm an evil guard and I'm beating you. What can you do to me?”
He was also forced to do military drills, jump like a frog, run, and be exposed to the sun for long hours. He was not allowed to go to restroom, not allowed to take a shower, etc.
The inmates were forced to work for more than ten hours every day. The products they made such as sweaters and lanterns were exported overseas. Because Mr. Li refused to do forced labor, he was locked up in the workshop until 2 or 3 a.m.
When Mr. Li was finally released, he was emaciated and had visibly aged. His eyesight was poor and he was unable to see clearly. He often had headaches.
Tortured in Luosiling Detention Center
From February to April 2000, Mr. Li was detained in Luosiling Detention Center in Chenzhou City. The inmates slowly poured ice water over his head for more than 40 minutes, stripped off his clothes and hit his chest more than 150 times, and rolled up a wet towel and whipped his trunk.
Watched and Detained
When the CCP started to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Li lost his job so he opened a bookstore. Chen Bingzhi and other officers from the Chenzhou Domestic Security Division broke into his store. They took thousands of Falun Gong books, more than 23,000 yuan in cash, and his bank deposit book
He was harassed by people from his previous employer, the 610 Office, and the police. A special “education group” was formed in the work unit to watch him. They would arrest him and detain him at will.
One day in 1999, his sister-in-law came to visit his home. The next day, he was arrested and interrogated by Wu Ziqiang from Beihu District Police Branch for whole morning. Even his wife and his child were questioned.
In December 1999, his colleague Li Hui came to his home for a visit. Right after he entered the house, officers from Chenzhou Police Department broke in and arrested both of them.
They were take to a detention center, where the inmates stripped them and shoved them into a cold pool. They were beaten and tortured for three days. They also took their money and deposit books. Later the inmates apologized to them: “Sorry. The police told us that if we didn't beat you, they would beat us.”
On the morning of October 9, 2000, officer Wu Ziqiang from Beihu District Police Department and others arrested him at his home. They took him to Xinkaipu Forced Labor Camp in Changsa City, claiming that he was selling Falun Gong books. He appealed his case several times but did not receive any response. He was released in 2002 after serving one and half years of forced labor.
Health Improved and Mind Uplifted
Before he began practicing Falun Gong, Mr. Li had several ailments and was always miserable and in pain. After he started practicing Falun Gong in 1994, he became healthy and looked younger. He used to work in a factory making air conditioners. The factory went bankrupt when he was 50 years old, but he was still able to do hard labor, such as delivering gas tanks by bicycle, in order to to support his family.
Falun Gong not only improved his physical health, but also improved his moral standard. He and his wife once found 600 yuan and 68,000 yuan in cash, but returned the money to its owners.
Related article: From 600 Yuan to 68,000 Yuan: The Great Integrity of Falun Gong Practitioners
