PureInsight | June 5, 2013
[PureInsight.org] Falun Gong practitioners Mr. Lin Zehua and Mr. Zhang Puhe from Heilongjiang Province were illegally sentenced to jail, simply because they practice Falun Gong. Both of these Falun Gong practitioners have now become paralyzed, as a result of undergoing torture in Jiamusi Prison in the Heilongjiang Province of China. Family members started a petition campaign last year, demanding the unconditional release of Mr. Lin and Mr. Zhang from prison. Many locals signed the petition. Altogether, the families have gathered 1005 signatures on the petition letter.
Mr. Lin Zehua is from Fenggang Town, in the Youyi County of Heilongjiang Province. On September 12, 2007, police kidnapped him while he was at his brother’s residence. In March 2008, the Youyi County Court illegally sentenced him to 7 years in prison, sending him to Jiamusi Prison on July 10. Mr. Lin suffered constant humiliation while in detention. He had to endure all kinds of physical and mental abuse from inmates, whom the prison officers had explicitly instructed to abuse Falun Gong practitioners. Within just four months, the persecution paralyzed Mr. Lin. His jail sentence caused his father to die in frustration and anger, and his 85-year-old mother remains in tears almost every day, hoping for her son to return home soon.
Mr. Zhang Puhe’s family lives in a government-run industrial farmland zone. Due to him practicing Falun Gong, Mr. Zhang had been forced to abandon his family and to wander the country. On December 25, 2002, Chinese security agents found Mr. Zhang in the city of Jiamusi and kidnapped him, putting him through a series of brutal torture and physical abuse. Later, Mr. Zhang was illegally sentenced to 10 years in prison and was sent to Jiamusi Prison on June 13, 2003. Prison officers used 30,000 watt electric batons to electrocute Mr. Zhang’s private parts and also beat him heavily. They threw Mr. Zhang into tiny torture rooms, where he was kept for long periods of time. Such tiny rooms were designed in such a way that one could not even stretch one’s body out inside. He was also forcefully administered non-prescribed shots in the prison. As a result of such persecution, Mr. Zhang’s legs became swollen; he became unable to walk alone; and he lost the basic capacity to take care of himself. His parents passed away, and his wife was forced to leave him, while he was kept in jail.
Last fall, family members of Mr. Lin and Mr. Zhang decided to ask for help to get them released. The families were deeply saddened to see their relatives undergoing such inhumane persecution in prison, simply for their faith in Falun Gong. However, prison officials refused to release the two, making all kinds of excuses. So as a last resort, the family members had started this public campaign to collect petition signatures, which demanded that the government unconditionally free the relatives, who had become paralyzed from torture in Jiamusi Prison.
The petition letter reads:
Honorable hometown folks, please extend your hands to help save our relatives.
Mr. Lin Zehua and Mr. Zhang Puhe were illegally sentenced to Jiamusi Prison simply because they believe in the principles of Zhen, Shan and Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance) and want to become better citizens. Prison officers have used all kinds of torture to force Mr. Lin and Mr. Zhang to give up their faith. The two have suffered constant humiliation and physical and mental abuse. Mr. Lin became paralyzed within four months of being thrown into jail. Mr. Zhang’s condition has also seriously deteriorated as a result of lengthy physical and mental abuse. He is now slow to react and has become incontinent. Both Mr. Lin and Mr. Zhang have also lost the basic capability of taking care of themselves, and they are undergoing extreme difficulties in the prison. Honorable hometown folks, please extend your hands and help demand the government to unconditionally release our family members from the prison. We deeply appreciate your consideration and help.
This petition letter was initiated by Mr. Lin’s mother and Mr. Zhang’s brother on August 28, 2012.
1005 people signed the petition to help release the two Falun Gong practitioners from prison. However, the government has not responded to this petition at all and has instead, continued to cover up the persecution of Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lin, as well as other Falun Gong practitioners.
On December 24, 2012, Mr. Zhang was finally released, completing his 10 year prison sentence. Afterwards, doctors conducted a thorough exam of Mr. Zhang and found that he had developed a cortical cerebellar atrophy and a tumor in the enteric cavity. Both of his legs had developed arteriosclerosis; he had tuberculosis in the lungs; and the right side of his pleural cavity appeared thickened. Mr. Zhang was diagnosed and categorized as having a second-degree handicap.
Right now, Mr. Lin is still being illegally detained in Jiamusi Prison.
Within just half a month in March 2011, three Falun Gong practitioners were persecuted to death at Jiamusi Prison. The investigation task force of the United Nation’s Human Rights Organization has deemed Jiamusi Prison a primary site for human rights abuse.
Translated from: http://news.zhengjian.org/node/16630
