Issued by Clearwisdom Net
Content
Mr. Xie Wutang and his wife Ms. Tan Xiangyu used to live in Tianxin District, Changsha City, Hunan Province. Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, the couple have been imprisoned many times. They became homeless to avoid further arrests because they refused to renounce Falun Gong and continued to clarify the facts about the persecution.
Ms. Tan was previously sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 2004. She was tortured and released for medical parole in September 2005 when she had holes in her lungs, vomited blood, couldn't swallow, suffered liver failure, and couldn't walk unaided.
Ms. Tan Xiangyu and Mr. Xie Wutang.
After his July 2007 arrest, Mr. Xie went on a hunger strike to protest the illegal imprisonment. Details are not available because of the information blockade at the detention center.
On September 14, the Tianxin District Court secretly tried Mr. Xie without informing any of his relatives. On October 9, 2007, Mr. Xie was was sentenced to term of four years and eight months. The Criminal Law states the first trial should be open to the public. When Mr. Xie's family asked Judge Huang Jueping for an explanation, he responded, "We don't inform anymore."
Mr. Xie believes that calmly telling people who are unaware of the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong is simply not illegal. Mr. Xie has appealed to the Changsha City Intermediate Court, asking it to reverse the verdict and for him to be released without charges.
Ms. Tan Xiangyu was taken immediately to the Hunan Province Women's Prison on July 14, 2007. Her relatives tried to see her many times, but the guards refused all visitation rights.
On October 17, 2007, her children tried to visit their mother and deliver warm winter clothes. The prison guards refused to let them in and refused to take the clothes. Ms. Tan's children worried about their mother's health and went to see visit Zhao Lan, the Deputy Director. Zhao's attitude was belligerent and he ordered a guard to remove Ms. Tan's children from the prison.
On November 16, 2007, Ms. Tan's children appealed to the Hunan Province Judicial Department, explaining that the staff at the women's prison had deprived them of their right to visit their mother. They were redirected to the Hunan Province Prison Administration Bureau. Director Cao talked to them and ordered prison director Liu to arrange a meeting for Ms. Tan and her family. Cao also called staff in the prison and instructed them to arrange a meeting without delay. That afternoon, Ms. Tan's children went to the prison. Director Liu avoided them, and a guard from Ms. Tan's team told them that she was under "strict management" and was not allowed to have visitors.
On November 19, Ms. Tan's children visited the prison again, wanting to see her. Director Liu talked with the guard over her team. They learned that Ms. Tan was tortured while under "strict management" and in a brainwashing class set up specifically to "reform" Falun Gong practitioners. Ms. Tan's relatives are very worried about her safety and are calling on people who believe in justice to help stop the persecution.