(Clearwisdom.net) I started to practice Falun Gong in 1998. After becoming a practitioner, I soon gave up the bad habit of smoking. I felt incredible relaxation, mental clarity and freedom from stress. Reading Zhuan Falun helped me get myself out of a bad situation rapidly. I was really feeling better, and life was so beautiful.

But after July 20, 1999, when the Chinese government began to persecute Falun Gong, my life changed. Being a practitioner, the Chinese police detained me five times. During my time in jail, I suffered all kinds of corporal punishment. For example, the policemen locked my hands and feet in special punishment equipment, they blocked my mouth, took off all my clothes, electric shocked my buttocks, and more. The torture left me with multiple scars on my hip.

I remember the guards shouting while beating my buttocks: "Don't you dare show this (my bruises) to others." The guards also forced me to drink and eat other prisoners' urine and stool, infecting me with hepatitis. Of course I refused their orders each time. But the guards locked my hands and feet in that special punishment equipment, and then ordered other prisoners to bring the urine and stool. They blocked my nose, used a hammer drill to open my mouth, and poured the urine and stool into my mouth. This is a so-called "enema." The guards also call it a "Big Dinner." After this kind of torture, the victim will lose his appetite for a long time. I remember a guard shouting at me: "You're lucky we don't have HIV/Aids positive prisoners. Otherwise, we'd like to inject you with his blood." He said this while grinning hideously at me.

I was in despair while living in China. I got an opportunity to escape to Africa, where I was granted refugee status. I have regained a peaceful life. Falun Dafa is good. I'm so glad to tell you that I can practice Falun Gong with African practitioners freely.

I strongly appeal to the Chinese government to stop persecuting Falun Gong practitioners and immediately release all the jailed practitioners.