Former Electrician Imprisoned for His Faith and Denied Family Visits

(Minghui.org) Panjin Prison in Liaoning Province informed Mr. Miao Jianguo’s family on February 15, 2023 that he had been admitted to serve a 1.5-year term for refusing to give up his faith in Falun Gong. The prison forbade the family from making a cash deposit for him or visiting him. They claimed that he would be transferred to another prison in a month but gave no further details.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Miao of Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, was arrested at home on February 21, 2022. The police promised to release him in seven days but refused to set him free when his brother went to the local detention center to pick him up on February 27.

Mr. Miao was later indicted by the Linghai City Procuratorate and sentenced to 1.5 years by the Linghai City Court.

Past Persecution

Mr. Miao used to work as an electrician for the Jinzhou Railroad Bureau. He started to practice Falun Gong in 1995. For upholding his faith, he was repeatedly arrested and held in brainwashing centers several times. He also served a three-year labor camp term and a four-year prison term before his latest sentencing. His employer fired him in November 2012.

Officers broke into Mr. Miao’s home at 11:30 p.m. on September 7, 2001, and attempted to take him to a brainwashing center. His 77-year-old father, who was living with him, was so terrified that he passed out. Only then did the police leave.

Ten days later, on September 17, the police showed up at Mr. Miao’s workplace, seized him, took him to the Jinzhou City No.2 Detention Center, and held him for 12 days. His wife, Ms. Wei Yuqin, who was eight months pregnant, was so traumatized that she suffered a placental abruption and the baby died. She has never been able to carry a baby again.

Mr. Miao was held in Linghe District Brainwashing Center again between June 26 and July 10, 2002. Ms. Wei was also arrested and held there.

Only 13 days after Mr. Miao was released, he was arrested again at work and taken to a detention center. A month later, the police took him to the Jinzhou Forced Labor Camp to serve a three-year term. He suffered severe medical conditions due to torture in custody and was released on medical parole.

After he recovered a little, he lived away from home to hide from the police, only to be taken back to a forced labor camp in 2004. The police also extended his term for 2.5 months.

Because Mr. Miao refused to renounce Falun Gong, the guards forced him to sit on a small stool for long hours without moving. They also handcuffed and shackled him and force-fed him food and unknown drugs. He was released on February 15, 2007.

Torture illustration: Handcuffed behind the back

Mr. Miao was arrested again on February 25, 2008, and held at the Jinzhou City No.2 Detention Center. The Linghe District Court sentenced him to four years in August of that year. The inmates watched him around the clock in Dongling Prison. He was forced to do unpaid labor during the day. In the evening, he had to sit on the small stool without moving.

While he was serving his term, his mother passed away without seeing him one last time. His father suffered mental instability and died in a car accident three years later.

Related reports:

Having Served Nine Years, Liaoning Man Sentenced Again for Practicing Falun Gong

Liaoning Man Beaten While Detained for His Faith