Mr. Cao Dazhang Severely Persecuted in Jiujiang Forced Labour Camp, Jiangxi Province

Recently, Jiujiang City Forced Labour Camp in Jiangxi Province has intensified the persecution of Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Cao Dazhang in an attempt to “transform” [forcibly renounce Falun Gong] him. Mr. Cao is being monitored by several prisoners and guards from the second brigade. They take turns to torture him 24 hours a day. They do not allow him to sleep, give him very little to eat, and force him to do labour for more than 12 hours a day.

Mr. Cao used to be very strong and healthy. However, when his family visited, they saw that he was emaciated and could barely walk. His spirits were very low and blood was coming out of his mouth. It was obvious that someone had just beaten him.

One guard furiously said to Mr. Cao's family, “I have transformed several hundred Falun Gong practitioners. Only six practitioners didn't transform. Of the six, two were tortured to death. If Cao Dazhang refuses to be transformed, I will continue to torture him until he dies!”

Mr. Cao was arrested on August 8th, 2011 and was sentenced to one year in a forced labour camp. He was sent to Majialong Forced Labour Camp, Jiujiang City. On December 6th, Mr. Cao's wife Ms. Zhang Aizhen went to the Legal Office of Jiujiang City to inquire about the application for reconsideration of Mr. Cao's sentence. The staff told her, “If it is a case of Falun Gong, you can never expect to win. Even if they accept the case, it's just to walk through the procedures.”

The forced labour camp has also tortured Mr. Cao spiritually. They forced him to say that his wife is also a Falun Gong practitioner so that they could void her right to visit him, and in turn torture him more severely.