English Teacher Banned from Going Abroad for Believing in Falun Gong

Ms. He Meirong, an English teacher at Zhaoshi Senior High School in Tianmen City, Hubei Province, has been sentenced to forced labour three times and detained at brainwashing centres twice since the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting Falun Gong, simply because she persisted in her belief in Falun Gong. She has also been detained at the local police station, detention centres, brainwashing centres at the city's Chinese Communist Party School, the No. 9 and No. 2 wards of Shayang Forced Labour Camp, as well as Mahu Provincial Women's Forced Labour Camp in Wuchang City.

When Ms. He was detained at the Shayang Forced Labour Camp for the first time, she was tortured, both physically and mentally. In addition, the authorities encouraged her family members to isolate her and force her to renounce Falun Gong. When she was steadfast in her belief and refused to give it up, the forced labour camp staff incited her husband to start a relationship with one of Ms. He's best friends. While she was still being tortured, divorce papers which contained many fabricated accusations were delivered to the Shayang Forced Labour Camp. By the time Ms. He was released at the end of her forced labour term, her husband had formally divorced her.

Each time she was released, her school dared not allow her to return to work. When she was eventually allowed to work, the authorities arranged that she work in the same office as her husband's new wife. Such circumstances would make it difficult for anyone to handle the situation, but she has quietly endured the embarrassment and never complained. This is because she is a practitioner who pursues the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Ms. He's school did not allow her to teach, but only to work as a receptionist, or in the printing workshop or boiler room. She was poorly paid as well. She nonetheless worked very hard and was very responsible when doing whatever work she was asked to do.

This year, Ms. He Meirong went to the authorities and applied to travel abroad. However, after the staff went through the records in the computer system she was refused a passport.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2010/7/18/227150.html