(Clearwisdom.net) In August of 2003, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhao Guoan, 54, was illegally arrested and sent to the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp in Xuchang City, Henan Province. At the end of December of the same year, he was tortured to death by Jia Zhigang and other policemen because they could not "transform" him.

Jia Zhigang, the head of Team No. 1, and Liu Tianxun, the political leader of the camp, began to torture Mr. Zhao as soon as he was brought to the camp. One day they brought him to the second level of the dormitory building. Jia kept cursing Teacher while using the "rope tying" (1) method on Zhao Guoan. He snarled, "Let me see how long you can endure this. Nothing can make me believe that you will not write the three statements!" Political leader Liu pretended to be very kind but tried to persuade Mr. Zhao as well.

Liu Wei, a drug addict and also the head of Group 3 of Team No. 1, often beat Mr. Zhao in secret. Sometimes Liu cursed him in front of the policemen, using the excuse that Mr. Zhao was working too slowly.

To persecute Mr. Zhao Guoan more severely, Jia transferred him to the so-called "disciplinary unit" (Group 1). They assigned two people to Mr. Zhao--the leader of the class, Chen Guoqing, and a thug, Li Xiaoniu--to persecute him. They deprived him of every freedom.

One morning in 2003, Jia Zhigang and Xu Zusheng brought Mr. Zhao to an office where they tortured him by "rope tying" and shocking him with electric batons. Jia struck Mr. Zhao with his electric baton, forced him to tear out Teacher's portrait from Zhuan Falun and burned the picture.

On the afternoon of December 26, 2003, Mr. Zhao said that he wanted to talk with Ma Huating, the staff commissioner of Team No.3. Jia Zhigang brought Mr. Zhao to an interrogation room and brutally beat him. When Mr. Zhao went back to the work area, he said, "I know that Falun Dafa is good." The thug, Li Xiaoniu, slandered him, shouting slogans. He covered Mr. Zhao's mouth from behind and pushed him to the ground. Jia then tortured Mr. Zhao Guoan using the tiger bench method.

On the night of December 28, to reach the annual quota for "transforming" practitioners, Yan Zhenye, the chief of the labor camp, and Jiang Qingtai, the deputy chief, tortured Mr. Zhao. They chose eleven guards from three teams. Together with officers from the local police station, they beat Mr. Zhao until he was nearly dead. He was then sent to the hospital for emergency care. On December 29, 2003, Mr. Zhao Guoan died from the torture.

Zhao Guoan's wife found that flesh around his neck and under his chin was gone. Also, a chunk of flesh as big as a fist was missing from his chest. On his shoulder there was a bloody gouge as thick as an adult's finger that was made by a rope. His lower abdomen was covered with blue bruises. After untying the rope around his arms, she saw discovered that her husband's hands were too swollen to be recognized. From being bound, each ankle had circular abrasions as wide as a waist belt.

Later, the head of Team No. 3 Shi Baolong disclosed how Mr. Zhao Guoan was tortured to death: they used "rope tying" on Mr. Zhao 10 times. For the tenth time, they tied him for more than one hour until he was almost dead. Then, they untied him. According to regulations, "rope tying" can only be used nine times. Every tying can only last from three to five minutes, otherwise people can be disabled or even die. However, they don't have to obey any rules, regulations or laws when they persecute Falun Dafa practitioners.

In order to cover up their crimes, the head of Class No. 1, Chen Guoqing, spread rumors that Mr. Zhao Guoan was ill and was sent to the hospital for treatment. Mr. Zhao had already been persecuted to death at the camp because he would not give up his belief in Falun Dafa.

Notes:

(1) "Rope tying": The torture method called "rope tying" utilizes a finger-sized hemp rope soaked in water. The torturers put it around the practitioner's neck and tightly wrap it around the arms. In order to maximize the pain for the victim, they often strip the practitioner down to his underwear. Usually, over three people work together to apply this torture. When the rope reaches the wrists, it is tightened. They pull the practitioner's hands behind his back, both ends of the rope are inserted through the portion of the rope on the neck, then two of those administering the torture pull down both ends of the rope as hard as they can and then tie it. At this time, the blood circulation is cut off and the victim will experience increased heart rate, excruciating pain in both arms, and within a few minutes, heavy sweating.

In order to make sure the rope is as tight as can be, the torturers insert glass bottles and wooden sticks under the practitioner's wrists, so the rope will sink deep into his flesh. Meanwhile, they also slap the practitioner's face and shock him with electric baton(s). Each session of "rope tying" lasts ten to twenty minutes. After the rope is loosened, the victim has lost the feeling in his arms, and it takes a long time to return. For those who have experienced this torture, their arms become disabled in severe cases, or they cannot raise their arms, or they lose some function in the arms. The marks left on the arms by the rope usually don't disappear for one or two years.