With Both Legs Broken Due to Cruel Torture, Practitioner Mr Zhang Peiqi is Still Detained in a Detention Centre

Ever since his arrest in March, practitioner Zhang Peiqi of Jilin City, has endured severe torture, which resulted in two broken legs. Lawless personnel in Anntu County still refuse to release him.

About 5 a.m. on March the 20th 2004, the Anntu County "610 Office" in Jilin City arrested Mr. Zhang Peiqi and Kao Changsuo and detained them in the Anntu County Anti-Riot Patrol Division. Afterwards, personnel from the National Security Team of the Public Security Office of Anntu County, took Mr. Zhang to the Heigou Gold Factory/Mine (a hidden place that is not easily spotted) to interrogate and cruelly torture him for seven days and nights. During that time, the perpetrators kept him tied to a Tiger Bench and used several-inch-wide hard rubber hoses and wooden sticks to brutally beat him. They stuck a burning cigarette up his nose. Zhang Peiqi passed out several times, and every time they poured cold water over him to revive him.

Seven days later, after seeing that Mr. Zhang's body had been severely injured and afraid that he might die, the National Security Team stopped torturing him. Mr. Zhang was sent to the County Detention Centre. According to a reliable source, while four men carried Mr. Zhang into a prison cell, it was noticed that he had been so brutally tortured that there was no uninjured spot on his body, and both of his legs were completely swollen and bruised - it was a horrific sight. All twenty-plus inmates in the prison cell can testify to this fact.

Because of his injuries, Mr. Zhang could not walk normally. He was completely bedridden. He needed others' help when he washed his face or used the toilet. The National Security Team interrogated him several times and every time someone had to carry him there and back.

After learning about all the terrible things that had happened to him, Mr. Zhang's family went to the Political Law Committee and Public Security Office to request Mr. Zhang's release. The perpetrators claimed that Mr. Zhang was in good shape, that nothing had happened to him, and that they would not release him. His children requested to see him, but the perpetrators used all sorts of excuses to deny their request. Mr. Zhang's family then asked the authorities to write a statement guaranteeing that Mr. Zhang was indeed unharmed, or else the authorities had to take responsibility for the consequences. The perpetrators then threw Mr. Zhang's family out of the office.

In July the court notified Mr. Zhang's family about his hearing. The litigant requested a defence lawyer pending the family members' decision. Mr. Zhang's family hired a lawyer who interviewed him. The lawyer told Mr. Zhang's family that both of Mr. Zhang's legs were indeed disabled. Mr. Zhang made a request to file a lawsuit against the National Security Team for interrogating him using severe torture methods that broke both of his legs. The lawyer said that the lawsuit should be submitted directly to the court, and he did not need to go through a lawyer, so the episode came to an end.

At the end of August, Mr. Zhang's family went to the Public Security Office and requested to see Mr. Zhang. Someone had to carry Mr. Zhang out. The perpetrators intimidated his family by saying that the court's decision had been handed out and the papers said the sentence was for five years. The family members heard that Mr. Zhang was first sent to Jilin City, where he was rejected. He was then detained in Yanji Forced Labour Camp. After that, he was sent back to Anntu.

Currently, Mr. Zhang is still being detained in the Anntu Detention Centre.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/10/7/86053.html