The Appeal from A Daughter in the U.S.: Please Help Rescue My Mother, Who is Being Persecuted in a Prison in Henan Province

Left: Fan Yagu. Right: Fan Yagu's mother, Fan Weihuang

I am a legal US resident living in the state of Maryland. My husband is a US citizen. I myself am not a Falun Gong practitioner, but I witnessed huge positive changes in my mother both physically and mentally after she practised Falun Gong. Now, she is suffering in a prison in Henan Province for telling people about the persecution of Falun Gong so that more people could know the facts. Facing such injustice, I cannot keep silent any more. I want the American people, the US Government and the whole world to know about the torture my mother is suffering in China.

My mom's name is Weihuang Fan. She is 57-years-old, and is a retired teacher living in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. She has been practising Falun Gong since 1996. My whole family witnessed her physical and mental improvement since she started practising. She has followed the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, which led her to becoming a better person.

Yet, this kind, honest human being has been arrested three times by the Zhengzhou Public Security Bureau. She is still being held illegally in the Zhengzhou No. 1 Detention Centre because of practising Falun Gong, and downloading, and copying Falun Gong articles from the Internet. Her current condition is unknown.

One night in February 2001, three policemen searched our house and arrested my mother for possessing Falun Gong literature. After being detained for 15 days, she was transferred to a brainwashing centre. At that time I needed some documents from the local Public Security Bureau to finish applying for my visa. They delayed the processing on purpose in order to have more time to force my mother to denounce Falun Gong. My mom refused to co-operate. She was temporarily released after being isolated for about 40 days, but she was closely monitored after her release.

In September 2001, my mother was arrested again while distributing Falun Gong flyers. She was sentenced to one year in prison. In December 2001, she and the other Falun Gong practitioners went on a hunger strike that lasted for 7 days. She told the police that her family and friends outside of China would tell the world what was happening to her and the other practitioners. The next day, my mom was released.

On December 15, 2003, she was arrested for the third time. She has been held for almost three months without any legal charge. She was tied and hung up during a torture session that lasted for three days. The means of torture were beating, electric shock, and sleep and food deprivation. Our family was not allowed to visit her. The person in charge of her case said that since our family didn't pay him off, he would hold my mother in prison for as long as he wished.

I don't want to bribe these corrupt officials, because I know it doesn't solve the problem. Soon they would arrest her again in order to make more money. I need everyone's help, especially the media and the politicians. There have been successful rescue cases with your help. We need your help to expose the brutal persecution in China. We need your help to pressure the Chinese government into releasing our family members so we can be reunited.

Related phone numbers:

1. Guancheng Division, Department of Public Security, Zhengzhou, Henan Province
Address: 49 Qingzhenci Street, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, Zip code: 450000
Switchboard: (371) 6229936

2. State Safety Section, Guancheng Division, Department of Public Security, Zhengzhou, Henan Province
Same address as above
Phone: extension: 26084

3. No. 1 Detention Centre, Department of Public Security, Zhengzhou, Henan Province
Address: 29 Nongey Road, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, Zip code: 450000
Phone: (371) 3941686