Drawing: Wang Jinguo

Mr. Wang Jinguo was an accomplished and well-loved teacher who tragically died from internal injuries sustained over more than 200 days and nights of torture in a Chinese jail, according to sources inside China. Wang was 34 years old and left behind a wife and young child. All three in the family had started practicing Falun Gong in 1996.

According to those who knew him, he was a generous and vibrant individual. He was known as a good father and husband, and was highly respected as a teacher, winning several municipal teaching awards during his lifetime. He was particularly known for his talents in singing and music as well as Chinese calligraphy and painting. Wang passed away on May 23rd of this year, but due to extreme efforts to block information coming out of China regarding the persecution of Falun Gong, the full story of his death is only now emerging.

In June last year, according to sources in China, local village authorities arrested Wang and falsified documents in order to keep him in detention, and by December 3rd, he was thrown into a jail cell with hardened criminals. The guard ordered the criminal inmates to "take care" of him. As such, Wang and the other Falun Gong practitioners in the cell were forced to sleep for more than 40 days on the cold cement floor, and they were also beaten every night after the evening meal.

Wang's final will and testament shows his innate compassion and decency. He wrote: "If I pass away, it will definitely be a result of their torture and abuse... But no matter what, even if there is just the slightest glimmer of hope that they can return to goodness and kindness, you must do all you can to help them return to kindness, including those who directly participated in persecuting me."