The Persecution and Torture of Practitioner Zhang Yanrong

Mr. Zhang Yanrong was a farmer from Yongchang County, Gansu Province. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and severely tortured while he was detained in the Lanzhou Prison, Wuwei Prison, and Jiuquan Prison. When he was on the brink of death, he was released to receive medical care at home. He finally died on August 15th, 2007 at age 48. His wife Wang Zefang was sentenced to eight years in prison and is currently tortured in the Lanzhou Women's Prison. More details follow.

In 1997, Mr. Zhang's entire family started to practice Falun Gong and they were healthy physically and mentally. When Jiang's faction started to persecute Falun Gong, Zhang was arrested and detained in a drug rehabilitation centre for two months. After being released, he went to Beijing with his nephew to appeal for Falun Gong.

Zhang was arrested in Beijing and transported back to Yongchang County. Liu Fahai, the director of the security bureau said ferociously, "I am going to break up and ruin your entire family!" He arrested Zhang's whole family and confiscated Zhang's tractor. The fish pond that was worth 20,000 yuan¹ was ruined due to lack of maintenance. Zhang's wife was arrested. Even his non-practitioner son received a severe warning.

Zhang served two years in the Pinantai Forced Labour Camp where he was severely tortured. He was released in February 2002. On March 7th, 2002, Zhang and his wife were both arrested by officials from the Public Security Bureau in Yongchang County, namely Li Guoyu, Peng Weiping, Zhu Shengnian and others.

On May 14th, 2005, the judiciary branch and the security bureau in Yongchang County held a mass rally in a gymnasium. More than 30 practitioners were handcuffed and had a sign slandering Dafa hanging in front of their chests. The deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, Peng Weiping read the verdict, then the police escorted them to parade the street. At that time, four Dafa practitioners, Zhang Yanrong, Hu Shungxue, Qin Dexin, Fan Yongcheng, were sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Zhang's wife was also sentenced to a eight year prison term. When both parents were sent to prison, their 16 year old son could not attend school. A happy family was totally broken up due to the persecution.

Zhang Yanrong was sent to the Da Shaping Prison first and then transferred to the Wuwei Prison. On November 21st, 2005, when the United Nations anti-torture Commissioner Novak visited China, Novak was the first official from that division to visit China and he did a 12 day on site visit. The Chinese Communist regime applied its deceiving tactics and secretly transported more than 20 practitioners to the Jiuquan Prison. Right after the practitioners got off the van, they were led to prearranged divisions. They were often physically and emotionally abused in prison. It was not unusual to see them with a bloody face, or bruises all over their bodies.

Falun Gong practitioner Liu Yongchun died from being tortured in November 2006 in the Jiuquan Prison. Practitioner Zhang Yanrong was on the brink of death and was therefore released back home to receive medical care. He passed away on August 15th.

Phone numbers of Jiuquan Prison(Area code 937)

Director, Han Quanli (In charge of the overall persecution of Falun Gong practitioners)
Deputy Director, Ma Zhanming(Specialised in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners)
Deputy Director, Wang Yin
Department of Education: 86-937-2614859

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2007/8/19/161135.html