Mr. He Binggang Sentenced to Prison Despite Being Paralyzed from Torture during Interrogation

Name: He Binggang
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Address: Changning District, Shanghai
Occupation: Owner of Yuwen Science and Technology
Date of Most Recent Arrest: April 17th, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Unknown
City: Shanghai
Persecution Suffered: Beatings, office ransacked, interrogation, detention, denial of medical treatment
Key Persecutors: Wang Jun, Wang Yu

On April 18th, 2011, Mr. He Binggang went on trial at the Shanghai Changning District Court and was sentenced to five years in prison despite his paralysis.

Mr. He has been a computer prodigy since his teenage years. In 1991, at age 15, he invented a system to assist the blind in using computers via speech. He was given the top prize in youth competitions in Shanghai and nationwide. He had obtained a certificate as a Computer Software Engineer at age 16. After he graduated from Fudan University with a Master's degree, he opened his own computer company called Yuwen Science and Technology. He is a kind person and often helped others.

On April 15th, 2010, officials from the Changning District 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) and Changning District Domestic Security Division arrested him. His company was ransacked. He was interrogated three times. Since the interrogation room is equipped with a video camera, police officer Wang Jun pulled Mr. He into the hallway to torture him. Wang hit Mr. He's neck with his elbow, kicked his lower back and punched him. Mr. He started a hunger strike to protest the mistreatment, and was later sent to a hospital.

In early July 2010, Mr. He's neck and lower back injuries caused pain in his arms. He fell frequently any time he tried to walk, but the doctor at the detention centre did not send him for a check-up. In September, his arms became extremely painful. Since the x-ray showed no fracture, no further check-ups were given. In November 2010, he was unable to walk normally. Mr. He had repeatedly requested an examination of his lower back, but was rejected. His family had also requested physical examinations for him several times, but nothing happened. By March 2011, Mr. He was unable to walk and became incontinent. On March 14th, he was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with a grade 4-7 cervical disc herniation with spinal cord oedema. On March 28th, his family was notified to take him home. He was released on bail to wait for trial. When his family saw him, he was unrecognizable. He was pale, could barely stand up and was unable to walk.

His family sent him to a hospital for further assessment of his condition. The doctors from two hospitals suggested that Mr. He be admitted immediately for surgery.

On April 7th, Mr. He's family received a summons for his hearing on April 18th. His family refused to accept it due to his poor condition.

On April 17th, the police from the Changning District Domestic Security Division, including police officer Wang Yu, broke into Mr. He's home while he was out on bail waiting for trial. When they forcibly dragged him away, they violently kicked his back and legs.

On April 18th, when Mr. He was carried into the court room, he could not stop vomiting. The trial had to be delayed for several hours. Mr. He's lawyer proved his innocence and the lack of evidence for any crime. However, the judge declared him guilty after a four hour trial. Mr. He immediately said that he was going to appeal, and his lawyer requested Mr. He be released on medical parole.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2011/4/20/239300.html