March 26, 2002

A Chinese man studying at Trinity College, Dublin yesterday told of horrific torture he endured in a Chinese labour camp for nearly two years.

Zhao Ming (30), a post-graduate student in computer science, was released by the government in the last few weeks following constant efforts by friends and supporters.

His case was also highlighted by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen, who raised his plight with Chinese premier Zhu Rongji.

Back in Dublin yesterday, Mr Zhao thanked the Government, fellow students and human rights activists for their work in pressurizing the Chinese government into granting him his freedom.

He was detained by police when he returned to China from Dublin at the Christmas break in 1999 for filing a complaint against his government's policy on the spiritual movement Falun Gong.

In May 2000, Mr Zhao -- himself a Falun Gong practitioner - was sent to a labour camp on the outskirts of Beijing and held there without trial for a year and 10 months in which, he said, he endured physical and mental tortured at the hands of officers charged with getting Falun Gong supporters to renounce their beliefs.

Torture included sleep deprivation and -- just two weeks before his release -- being hit repeatedly with electic shock batons delivering 30,000 volts each time.

He was left shaking violently, said Mr Zhao, who became aware in the camp that efforts were being made here to free him.