53-Year-Old Henan Man Detained for One Year and Counting, Previously Given Three Forced Labor Terms for His Faith

(Minghui.org) A 53-year-old man in Kaifeng City, Henan Province, has been detained for over a year since his arrest on August 17, 2024, for his faith in Falun Gong, Minghui.org learned recently.

Mr. Ma Yongheng’s home was raided, and his computer and printer were confiscated. He has since been held in the Kaifeng City Detention Center.

This is not the first time that Mr. Ma has been targeted for his faith. He was previously given three unknown terms of forced labor. The first term was given not long after the communist regime launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999. The second term was given hours after he was arrested on November 14, 2003, by captain Liu Yuejin of the Kaifeng City Domestic Security Office. He was again made to serve time at the Kaifeng City Forced Labor Camp.

The labor camp guards subjected Mr. Ma and other detained Falun Gong practitioners to various forms of abuse, including savage beatings, solitary confinement, exposure to the scorching sun, being restrained on a bed in a spread-eagle position, being handcuffed to door or window frames, and being burned on the arms with cigarette butts. The guards also hit their toes with sticks, made them stay in extremely painful positions, pried their mouths open and spit into them, inserted water bottles into their anuses, and poured water down their throats. They also handcuffed two people together to restrain their mobility and movement and made them do hard labor for long hours.

Mr. Ma was arrested again on June 23, 2008, and interrogated with torture. His third labor camp term was served in Henan Province Third Labor Camp in Xuchang City. He was again subjected to torture, similar to what he endured during his first two labor camp terms. He was also force-fed urine and feces, sexually assaulted, deprived of sleep, tied up, forced to wear a straitjacket, stripped naked and doused with cold water, water boarded, and starved.

Related Report:

Guards Committing Crimes At the Henan Province No. 3 Forced Labor Camp