Older Falun Gong Practitioner Mr. Zhang Yuke Dies as a Result of Persecution in Jilin Prison

Name: Zhang Yuke
Gender: Male
Age: 64
Address: Taipingzhuang Village, Huaide Town, Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province
Occupation: Retired from the deputy direction position in the accounting division of the SinoHydro Engineering Bureau
Date of Death: February 15th, 2011
Date of Most Recent Arrest: March 4th, 2008
Most Recent Place of Detention: Jilin Prison
City: Jilin
Province: Jilin
Persecution Suffered: Electric shock, sleep deprivation, forced labour, brainwashing, beatings, hung up, imprisonment, torture, extortion, home ransacked, interrogation, detention

Mr. Zhang Yuke, a Falun Gong practitioner from Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province, China, died as a result of persecution in Jilin Prison on February 15th, 2011.

Mr. Zhang Yuke died at the age of 64. Three years ago, Mr. Zhang was arrested at his home and was sentenced to four years in prison. He was subjected to cruel torture in Gongzhuling Detention Centre and Jilin Prison. He was at the brink of death repeatedly.

On the morning of March 4th, 2008, more than a dozen police officers from Huaide Town, Gongzhuling City went to Mr. Zhang Yuke's home in Lalatun, Huaide Town. They ransacked his home, confiscated his Falun Gong books, a voice recorder, a VCR, a TV, a TV receiver, a bank certificate and about 8,000 yuan¹ in cash. The police also arrested Mr. Zhang Yuke and his wife Yu Fengyun. They were taken to Huaide Police Station, Gongzhuling Detention Centre and then Gongzhuling Detention Centre.

At the detention centre, Mr. Zhang Yuke refused to wear a prisoner uniform and went on a protest hunger strike. He was tortured with body-stretching by the limbs, forced-feeding, and other forms of physical abuse. The prison guards made Zhang wear heavy foot shackles intended for death-row prisoners. He was chained to a rail for more than 3 weeks. The prison guards also had prison inmates take turns riding on Zhang's neck for nearly 2 weeks. The police beat Mr. Zhang Yuke until he collapsed. Even after they sent him to the hospital for emergency resuscitation, they had his arms and legs tied to the bed and kept him under watch around the clock.

In August 2008, Mr. Zhang Yuke and his wife Yu Fengyun were each sentenced to four years in prison. They were sent to Jilin Prison. Mr. Zhang was not accepted by the prison because he was critically ill. However, the police from Gongzhuling reported to the Jilin Justice Bureau and Jilin Forced Labour Bureau, and managed to throw Mr. Zhang into Jilin Prison despite his poor health.

In May 2009, Jilin Prison took blood samples from prison inmates and took their mug shots. Mr. Zhang refused to cooperate because he did not commit any crime. As a result, he was locked in an isolation cell and forced to wear foot shackles for 53 days. He was made to wear the shackles even during his sleep.

In June 2010, a new regulation was announced that those prisoners over the age of 64 may apply for bail if they have served 2/3 of their prison term. Mr. Zhang was offered the chance at being released on the condition of his renouncing Falun Gong in writing, but he refused. He demanded to be released unconditionally. He then went on a hunger strike protest. On the sixth day of his hunger strike, he was locked into an isolated cell, where he was subjected to forced-feeding and made to wear foot shackles for six days. After 30 days, Mr. Zhang refused to eat the served meals in prison. He lived on instant noodles that he had bought.

On the morning of February 15th, 2011, Mr. Zhang suddenly started having convulsions and fell unconscious. It was too late when he was taken to the prison hospital. Mr. Zhang died as a result of the long-term torture on February 15th.

Related report: http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2009/8/21/110209.html

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://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2011/2/19/236535.html