Dafa Practitioner On Verge of Death in Yinmahe Forced Labour Camp

Practitioner Li Qiang has been tortured to edge of death in the Yinmahe Forced Labour Camp in Jiutai, Jinlin Province. The labour camp, have no shred of conscience or regard for human life and have refused to release him.

Mr Li Qiang, who is 33 years old, was a driver working for the Civil Court of Jiaohe Court in Songjiang Town, Jiaohe City, Jilin Province. He obtained Dafa in 1996. Because of his practice of Falun Gong, he was forced to transfer to another job. In October 1999 and February 2000, he went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. Police kidnapped him and sentenced him to two years of forced labour.

Because Li Qiang refused to give up his practice, he has been subjected to brutal torture in the labour camp. The police used electric batons as well as large clubs covered with thorns to beat him up. Li Qiang's body is covered with painful wounds and lacerations and he has on occasion lost consciousness from the torture. Later he had symptoms of accumulating liquid in his stomach. Fearing Li Qiang might die, to shake off any possible responsibility, the labour camp released him under home surveillance so that he could seek medical treatment. After Li Qiang left the camp, he quickly recovered and was back at work again. His hard work and devotion are deeply appreciated by the workplace's leaders. They said, "Dafa practitioners are indeed good. Such a good person is so hard to find." He validated Falun Dafa through his behaviour.

In March 2002, he was arrested while going to appeal for Falun Dafa and hanging Dafa banners with other practitioners. Because Li Qiang is a determined practitioner and very active in clarifying the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa, the evildoers became very angry. More than thirty criminal policemen ransacked his home and brutally beat him in a frenzy until he lost consciousness. Because he did not give up the practice, he was sentenced to one year of forced labour. In the Jiaohe Detention Centre, the police deceived and extorted several thousands of Yuan [500 Yuan is the average monthly income for an urban worker in China] from Li Qiang's brother, stating that more money can "lessen the punishment on Li Qiang." But in fact, Li Qiang still ended up being sentenced again, this time to three years of forced labour. On the way to Jiutai, Li Qiang protested the police's illegal treatment and refused to get in the police car or sign his name. The police forcefully grabbed his hand and forced him "sign."

In the labour camp, Li Qiang met practitioners who had been detained with him before. He encouraged others with his steadfast belief in Dafa. He refused the brainwashing, and so suffered from cruel torture. When his family came to visit him, he had been on a hunger strike for forty four days and was carried out by others to meet his family. Even in such a critical condition, the labour camp did not release him. Instead the camp kept torturing him, causing him to suffer from serious digestive system problems, and brought him to the edge of death.

We, the practitioners in Jilin Province, call for International Human Rights Organisations and the World Organisation to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong to rescue Li Qiang, and all kind hearted people to support righteousness and this case.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/3/19/46768.html