(Minghui.org) Five locals from Chaoyang City were sentenced to prison for accusing former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin of launching the persecution of Falun Gong that resulted in their past detention and torture.
The four women and one man were arrested on November 9 last year, not long after they mailed in criminal complaints against Jiang. All of them have seen their health deteriorate after nearly six months of abuse and mistreatment in detention.
The authorities, however, refuse to release them, even on medical parole. Ms. Wu Jinping, Ms. Yin Xiuzhi, Ms. Huo Huixian, and Ms. Jiang Wei are now held at Panjin City Detention Center, while Mr. Huo Huixian is in Liaoning Province Detention Center.
Ms. Wu was sentenced to seven years, and the higher court has turned down her appeal. Shenyang Women's Prison declined to admit her though, citing her precarious health. She had developed anemia shortly after her arrest, but was never given treatment. The police refused to release her on medical parole and are keeping her at the detention center.
Ms. Yin was also given seven years and is awaiting the result of her appeal. She has been on a hunger strike since April 25 and is very weak.
Ms. Jiang started her hunger strike 12 days earlier and is now being force fed four times each day.
Ms. Huo, 70, was recently diagnosed with cataracts, and the detention center doctors recommended immediate surgery. The authorities, however, refused to release her. When her lawyer saw her a few days ago, he could hardly recognize her. She appeared very weak and had trouble walking by herself.
Mr. Yan contracted a contagious disease and was moved to the health center within Liaoning Province Detention Center. His family is being denied visitation and has not been able to ascertain his condition.
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners in the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
Related Report:Chaoyang, Liaoning Province: 300+ Arrested, 54 Tried, 14 Awaiting Trial for Suing Jiang ZeminChaoyang, Liaoning Province: 53 Falun Gong Practitioners Detained