Mr. Zheng Zhiqiang was a 37 year old practitioner from Dandong City, Liaoning Province. He died on the morning of April 4, 2004 in Dalian Prison Clinic. He had been severely tortured because he refused to give up his belief in Falun Dafa.
Mr. Zheng Zhiqiang was serving a prison term for criminal charges in the No. 11 Ward of Dalian Prison before 1999, when he started cultivating Falun Dafa. After the persecution against Falun Dafa began in 1999, he faced continuous pressure to give up his belief in Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance.
In the summer of 2003, the upper level management came to check on the prison, and encouraged prisoners to report firmly cultivating Falun Dafa practitioners' activities in order to receive a reward of three months reduced prison term. A prisoner named Qu reported on Zheng Zhiqiang for practising the exercises inside the prison between August and September, 2003, so Mr. Zheng was strictly monitored for 27 days, and forced to wear heavy chains (about 11.1 lb., only 1.64 ft. long). He had difficulty walking with the chains and fell easily. His ankles were rubbed raw and bleeding from the heavy shackles, and he had a hard time sleeping. No.11 Ward Director Zhao Zuojin was involved personally in torturing him, Tel: 86-1350-073-4180 (mobile).
During the 2004 New Year Holiday season, the prison guards targeted Mr. Zheng because he refused to give up his beliefs. Police forced him to stand barefoot outside in the snow twice a day, from 5:30 --6:30 AM and 6-7 PM for 17 days, with a 33 lb. wooden board hung from a thin wire around his neck.
Because Mr. Zheng was reported for doing the exercises, and refused to write a "Repentance Statement(1)" or "Guarantee Statement(2)," he was under strict surveillance. Police would not let him sleep for 48 hours, then tied his hands to metal pipes, and forced him to sit on a 1'x1.64' stool from 6 AM to 9 PM. He was only given two steamed corn buns, one picked vegetable, and one cup of water each day.
Mr. Zheng was finally brought to the Prison Clinic in an extremely weakened condition during the Chinese New Year Season. On the morning of April 4, 2004, witnesses saw his dead body hung by the neck in the window of No.2 room. Prisoners were shocked, and said that the prison officials plotted this to escape responsibility for their crimes.
We hope to gain more information soon.
The switchboard of Dalian Prison is: 86-411-86653491.
Ward Director Office, 86-411-86668688.
Political Director Office, 86-411-86665188
Director Jin of Prison Clinic, 86-411-86652917.
No.11 Ward Leader Zhao Dequan
Notes: The Dalian Prison recently moved to Yaojia Detention Centre, and its old phone number 86-411-86832011 is no longer working. The above-mentioned Dalian Prison is a Provincial Prison, still located in Dalian City, and its phone numbers are still valid. However, it will soon move as well.
(1) In this statement the practitioner is forced to admit remorse for practising Falun Gong, promise to give up Falun Gong, and never again associate with other practitioners or go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong.
(2) A statement to declare that he or she is remorseful for practising Falun Gong and guarantees not to practise Falun Gong again, not to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Dafa practitioners.
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/5/22/75174.html
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