Practitioner Mr. Chi Zhi Died as a Result of Persecution in 2009

Mr. Chi Zhi was a staff member of the Yiliang County People's Bank in Yunan Province. He began to cultivate Falun Gong in December 1998. Before that, he was physically fragile and often ill. He developed chronic gastroenteritis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. After Mr. Chi began practising Falun Gong, he recovered from all his diseases without treatment. He became healthy both physically and mentally. His temperament became cheerful and hopeful. In the workplace, he was a good co-worker. In addition, his family life became harmonious.

In June 2003, when Mr. Chi was distributing Falun Gong leaflets exposing the persecution, he was arrested by Yan Yongxiang, director of local security, Liang Dongmei, deputy director, and police officer Wang Yi. He was beaten and his home was ransacked. His computer, printer, and Falun Gong books were seized. Afterwards, without any legal basis, Mr. Chi was sentenced to three and a half years of imprisonment. Escorted by police officers armed with guns, he was publicly tried along with common criminals. Mr. Chi was traumatised both physically and mentally by these events.

After Chi Zhi was sentenced, his workplace dismissed him. His wife also divorced him under pressure from the authorities. He was detained in the Fifth Ward of Yunan Province First Prison. There he was forced to do heavy labour for more than ten hours each day. Under tremendous physical and mental stress, he developed liver cancer. To shirk responsibility for his health, the prison authorities asked his family members to pick him up. His seventy-year-old mother was the only person living at his home, and she was not capable of picking him up. So the local police ordered his brother to pick him up.

Due to his illness, Mr. Chi could not work. Because he did not have any income, he could not afford medical treatment. In addition, he was frequently harassed by the local police. Under pressure from the authorities, his relatives could not understand him or offer him aid. As a result, Mr. Chi became more ill and lost weight. In July 2009, he passed away at the age of 27.

Responsible parties:

Yuan Min, of Yiliang County 610 Office
Yan Yongxiang, director of Domestic Security Division of Yiliang County Police Department
Liang DongMei (female), deputy director of Domestic Security Division of Yiliang County Police Department
Wang Yi, of Domestic Security Division of Yiliang County Police Department
Zhang Yigui, warden of Yunan Province First Prison
Hu Jun, deputy warden of Yunan Province First Prison

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/11/23/32838.html