Mr. Tan Zhiyang, Thirty-Six Years Old, Dies with Knife-Scar on Lower Back

Mr. Tan Zhiyang was hired as an assistant engineer by the Xiangxiang City Livestock and Aquaculture Bureau in Hunan Province. He graduated from the East Campus of the Changde City Normal College in June 1999. In March 1999, Tan Zhiyang began practising Falun Gong. After the persecution started in July 1999, he had to leave his job. He was detained nine times: three times in the Honglun Detention Centre in Xiangxiang City, once in the Qilipu Detention Centre in Xiangtan County, once in the Xiangxiang City Police Dog Training Centre, twice in the Xiangtan City Detention Centre, once in the Xinkaipu Labour Camp, and the last time was in the Wuling Prison in Changde City.

In July 1999, Mr. Tan's home was ransacked, and he was detained for ten days. In March 2000, he went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong, and he was detained for 45 days. He went to Beijing again in 2000, but he was arrested along the way, and detained for another 45 days. His mother Ms. Yang Xianglan, in her 60s, is also a Falun Gong practitioner. On the night of January 18th, 2001, police arrested his mother, detained her for three months, and extorted more than 600 yuan¹ from their family.

In March 2001, Mr. Tan Zhiyang traveled to Xiangtan County to avoid being arrested at home. However, he was forcibly taken to the Yuntang Police Station in Yuhu District and detained in the Qilipu Detention Centre, where he was cruelly tortured. Officer He Guoping (male) burnt Mr. Tan's chin and private part with a cigarette lighter. After being detained for over two months, he was sentenced to two years of forced labour and imprisoned in the Xinkaipu Labour Camp.

In November 2002, upon being released from forced labour, he wrote a solemn declaration denouncing the forced brainwashing. He submitted it to his employer in front of a 610 Office² worker. Officer He Guoping immediately detained him for 15 days, during which police cuffed his hands behind his back in the tightest setting for two whole days.

In February 2003, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officers tried to arrest Mr .Tan and take him to the Xiangtan Brainwashing Centre. He was forced to leave home again to avoid this round of brutal persecution. He had no place to stay, and sometimes he had to stay overnight in the mountains while police were constantly harassing those at his home.

On May 14th, 2004, the police arrested Mr. Tan at his house in Gongmoxin District, Xiangxiang City. The police first detained him in the Xiangxiang City Detention Centre, then sentenced him to five years in prison. He was tortured until he was injured all over his body, his lower back showing an incision-like wound, and he almost died. On February 17th, 2008, the Prison Administration notified Mr. Tan's family to pick him up. Only two days later, on February 19th, 2008, he died at the young age of 36. His family visited him one month before his death. He told them his lower back felt very uncomfortable, and he had many injuries.

After his tragic death, Xiangxiang City 610 Office police threatened his family not to reveal any information about his death, saying they would punish them by putting them in prison for "revealing State secrets." There are people following the family everywhere and closely monitoring their activities. His mother and father were forced to leave home.

Yang Zhihui (male), Deputy Secretary of Xiangxiang City CCP Political and Judiciary Committee: 86-13907321392 (Mobile)
Xiong Chaojie (male), Chair of Xiangxiang City 610 Office: 86732-6783532 (Home)
He Guoping (male), Political Security Office Chair of Xiangxiang City Police Department: 86-13875201278 (Mobile)
Hunan Province Wuling Prison: Wanjinzhang Area, Baiheshan Township, North Suburbs of Changde City, zip code 415102, website: http://www.hnwljy.gov.cn/. Email: [email protected]
Zhang Kewu (male), Director of Wuling Prison: 86-13907364358(Mobile) 86-736-7239128 (Home)
Wu Guogang (male), Deputy Director of Wuling Prison: 86-13875040726(Mobile), 86-13907428148(Mobile) 86-736-7729658 (Home)

Note

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

2. "The 610 office" is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/8/20/184417.html