Mr. Zhang Youwei Died in 2011 Shortly After Release from Labour Camp

Mr. Zhang Youwei (张友维), 47, from Beijing, passed away on December 1st, 2011, at home, shortly after being released on medical parole from Tiantanghe Forced Labour Camp, where he was near death.

Mr. Zhang, from the Binhe Community, in Shunyi District, Beijing, was arrested on May 14th, 2009, by officers from the Guangming Police Station. The police sentenced him to forced labour and charged him with owning Falun Gong books and materials exposing the persecution of Falun Gong. He was taken to the Xin'an Forced Labour Camp, then transferred to the Tiantanghe Forced Labour Camp. No information as to his treatment at the labour camp could be ascertained.

Medical Parole

Mr. Zhang's family received a notice from the Tiangtanghe Forced Labour Camp in mid-2011, telling them to apply for medical parole.

When he was picked up at the camp, his body was swollen and disfigured. He died shortly after his release.

Persecuted Since the Onset of the Persecution

The Chinese communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong began on July 20th, 1999. Mr. Zhang went to Beijing in late 2000 to appeal for the right to practise Falun Gong. He was arrested, and detained for one month.

As an employee of a company affiliated with the local labour bureau, he was fired from his job because he refused to renounce Falun Gong.

Mr. Zhang went to a village to distribute Falun Gong materials exposing the persecution of Falun Gong on September 2nd, 2001, and was arrested by officers from the Renhe Police Station. He was held at the Nihe Detention Centre, where he was beaten and suspended by his handcuffed wrists.

He was sentenced to two years of forced labour and held at the Tuanhe Forced Labour Camp from 2001 to 2003, where he was tortured, incarcerated in a small cell, and shocked with electric batons.

Parties involved in the persecution of Mr. Zhang:
Ma Yan (马燕), deputy director of the Guangming Police Station: +86-13911352633
Guangming Police Station: +86-10-81491110, +86-10-81492220
Summary of Key Persecution Facts:
Name: Zhang Youwei (张友维)
Gender: Male
Age: 47
Address: Binhe Community, Shunyi District, Beijing
Occupation: Not available
Date of Death: December 1st, 2011
Date of Most Recent Arrest: May 14th, 2009
Most Recent Place of Detention: Tiantanghe Forced Labour Camp (天堂河劳教所)
City: Beijing
Persecution Suffered: Electric shock, forced labour, beatings, hung up, solitary confinement, fired from workplace, home ransacked, detention