Mr. Li Guangfan, 59, Dies as a Result of Long Term Persecution

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Guangfan from Chengguan Township in Yi County, Liaoning Province, passed away on September 18th, 2014, after long term persecution. He was 59 years old.

His wife, Ms. Wu Fengyan, passed away at the age of 51 on May 21st, 2010, of a cerebral haemorrhage. She had also been repeatedly persecuted for her belief in Falun Gong.

Repeatedly Arrested

Both Mr. Li and his wife started practising Falun Gong in 1997. After the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting Falun Gong on July 20th, 1999, Mr. Li tried to go to Beijing four times to appeal for the right to practise, but was arrested beforehand each time.

Mr. Li was arrested for the first time by chief Shi Kunlai and officer Yang Chengwen of the Chengguan Township Police Station on his way to Beijing on July 20th, 1999. He was detained at the police station for half a day.

He was arrested again on September 22nd, 1999, and taken to Yi County Detention Centre. The officials at the detention centre extorted 900 yuan¹ from him before releasing him 15 days later.

On his way to Beijing on October 26th, 2000, Mr. Li was arrested for the third time. Zhang Yanfu, captain of the Domestic Security Division, took him to the Yi County Detention Centre. He was held for three months and had 1,300 yuan extorted from him.

Mr. Li was on his way to Beijing for the fourth time in October 2001, but was arrested near Huludao City by Yi County police officer Wang Zhanlin. He was taken to a detention centre and held for 45 days before being transferred to Jinzhou Forced Labour Camp for 14 months. After he was released, he was forced to leave home for several years.

Mr. Li went to the mountainous areas in the western part of Yi County in January 2006 to tell people the facts about Falun Gong and distribute copies of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party². He was arrested, but escaped and was forced to move frequently for several years.

Mr. Li went home in January 2009. He and three other practitioners went to Gaotaizi Township to talk to people about Falun Gong and the persecution on January 20th, 2009.

Officers from the township police station arrested them and took them to the Yi County Detention Centre. They were held for five days. Officials at the detention centre extorted 12,000 yuan from Mr. Li before he was released.

Continuously Harassed

The money extorted from Mr. Li was all of his savings from working odd jobs while he was homeless. He was under intense pressure to make ends meet. Mr. Li agonised over his wife's death in 2010, and the frequent harassment by the police increased his mental stress.

Mr. Li became so ill in March 2014 that he could barely walk. His health worsened in early August, and he could no longer take care of himself. He became paralysed and bedridden in the beginning of September, but the police continued to harass him at home. Mr. Li passed away on September 18th, 2014.

Parties Responsible for Persecuting Mr. Li:

Zhang Yanfu (张彦复), captain of the Yi County Domestic Security Division: +86-416-7728528
Wang Zhanlin (王占林), officer of the Yi County Domestic Security Division: +86-416-7728900
Liu Haichi (刘海志), officer of the Yi County Domestic Security Division: +86-13898380181
Zhou Hualai (周化来), officer of the Yi County Domestic Security Division: +86-416-6535517

Summary of Key Persecution Facts:
Name: Li Guangfan (李广繁)
Gender: Male
Age: 59
Address: Wuli Village, Chengguan Township, Yi County, Liaoning Province
Occupation: Unknown
Date of Death: September 18th, 2014
Date of Most Recent Arrest: January 20th, 2009
Most Recent Place of Detention: Yi County Detention Centre
City: Jinzhou
Province: Liaoning
Persecution Suffered: Forced labour, extortion, detention
Key Persecutors: Zhang Yanfu (张彦复), Wang Zhanlin (王占林)

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

2. Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party: Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party is a series of essays published in late 2004 that reveal the true nature of the Communist Party. The Nine Commentaries have led millions of people to renounce their membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). "A book that has shocked all Chinese around the world. A book that is disintegrating the Communist Party." http://ninecommentaries.com