Zhang Hongwei Confined Again by Jilin Prison Guards

Mr. Zhang Hongwei, 44, has been incarcerated in Jilin Prison for almost 12 years. He suffers from severe, type III tuberculosis. On November 26th, 2012, he was again confined in a small cell by the guards because he did the Falun Gong exercises. Mr. Zhang has been confined in a small cell many times. The longest duration was for more than two years. He was on the verge of death as a result of persecution.

The person is charge of the eleventh division is Sun Zhigang. He heads up the so-called "transformation" [forcibly renounce Falun Gong] team. The eleventh division is for the elderly and disabled, and those who are severely ill due to the brutal persecution. Last year, Sun Zhigang confiscated Mr. Sun Changjun's Falun Gong book. This past June or July, Sun Zhigang took away Mr. Zhang Hongwei's Falun Gong book and didn't allow him any visitors for three months. He kept receiving calls regarding Mr. Zhang Hongwei but did not relent. Instead he suspended phone privileges for the Falun Gong practitioners in the eleventh division. Sun Zhigang also threatened Mr. Zhang's family, saying “The more you report to the higher level authorities, the worse we will treat him.” Finally he shouted, “I cannot torture you, but I can torture him!”

At that time, five Falun Gong practitioners were in the eleventh division, including Mr. Zhang, Mr. Sun Changjun, Mr. Ye Songchang, Mr. Wang Xiaoguang, and Mr. Wang Xiaohu. Sun Zhigang has deprived them of their phone privileges since this past June. Sun said, “As long as they behave well (i.e. give up believing in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance), I will let them call their families before the end of the year.”

Mr. Zhang Hongwei was a guard in the Public Security Section of Tonghua Steel Group in Jilin Province in 1992. He had served in the army for five years, receiving a Three-Class Merit. He started practising Falun Gong in 1997 and following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He became very healthy both mentally and physically. He worked hard and fulfilled his duties, and did not seek profits or fame. As an economic guard, he had to impose a certain number of fines every month. He reported all his receipts to his supervisor. At work, he never played favourites. His supervisors praised him as honest and trustworthy. If there was ever any danger, he looked after others first. When there was a gas explosion in a Tonghua Steel Group residential building, Mr. Zhang was the first to rush into the building to rescue people. His colleagues said he was honest and righteous.

In July 1999, Mr. Zhang went to Beijing to explain the facts about Falun Gong to the government. He was arrested and detained in the Changliu Detention Centre for almost two months. During this time, his supervisors were afraid of being implicated, so they went to the detention centre to force Mr. Zhang to resign. He agreed to resign in order to avoid implicating them. On January 20th, 2001, Mr. Zhang was arrested by officers from the Fangshan District Police Station in Beijing. According to a report in Beijing Daily on August 19th, 2001, entitled “Beijing Courts Sentenced Nine Falun Gong Cases,” Mr. Zhang was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment. He was the first Falun Gong practitioner sent to Jilin Prison. At that time, his family received no notification of his transfer to Jilin Prison from the Tiebei Prison. In September 2002, his family finally learned where he was incarcerated after nearly a year of searching. When they went to visit him, he came out with two criminal inmates supporting him. He had two scars on his forehead. Four guards monitored him and his family.

While in Jilin prison, Mr. Zhang was brutally tortured for refusing to give up his belief. The guards forced him to sit on a torture instrument "tiger bench" from 4:30 a.m to 8:30 p.m. They ordered criminal inmates to keep a close watch on him. The inmates cursed and beat him as they chose. He was not allowed to talk without permission. He was only allowed to use the toilet at certain times, and was not given enough to eat. A criminal inmate flicked his finger on Mr. Zhang's eyeballs and nose, and also pulled his eyebrows and hair. Because he refused to give up his belief, he was taken to the strict discipline team and put on a "stretching bed." The guards both stretched and beat him. He endured other methods of torture, including the death bed, being burned with smoke and hot water, having his mouth stuffed with dirty rags, and being stabbed with needles. Mr. Zhang was confined in a small cell many times, the longest time lasting two years and five months. He was near death when he was released from the small cell in August 2004. Mr. Zhang tried to write letters to clarify the truth many times, but the guards confiscated all of them.

In early 2006, Mr. Zhang was coughing every day. A medical exam revealed tuberculosis in both lungs (type III), and abdominal dropsy. His health declined in March, and he was then diagnosed with pleurisy, high blood pressure, and heart disease. He became extremely weak and was hospitalized in the prison hospital. The guards were afraid of being held responsible and agreed to release him on bail for medical treatment in late March. However, the prison administration did not approve it when they saw a slight improvement in Mr. Zhang's condition.

There are many incidents of persecution similar to Mr. Zhang's in Jilin Prison. Mr. Sun Changjun, Mr. Ye Songchang, Mr. Wang Xiaoguang, and Mr. Wang Xiaohu all have severe tuberculosis. Mr. Sun Changjun has spit up blood many times. However the prison refused to release him on bail for medical treatment because he did not give up his belief and did not write the three statements. In the past years, Jilin Prison has tortured nearly 20 Falun Gong practitioners to death.

Related articles:
Mr. Zhang Hongwei Tortured Brutally by Jilin Province Jail and Is in Critical Condition

http://en.minghui.org/emh/articles/2009/6/28/108656.html

Practitioner Zhang Hongwei Is Critically Ill after Eight Years in Jilin Prison

http://en.minghui.org/emh/articles/2009/7/12/109099.html

Mr. Zhang Hongwei Persecuted for Twelve Years, Family Members Threatened During Visitation

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2012/8/5/134808.html