Pharmacist Mr. Gao Shouhai from Shaanxi Province Dies as a Result of Persecution in Weinan Prison

Name: Gao Shouhai
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Address: Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province
Occupation: Former pharmacist at Xianyang City No. 704 Factory
Date of Death: May 15th, 2012
Date of Most Recent Arrest: May 17th, 2008
Most Recent Place of Detention: Weinan Prison
City: Xianyang
Province: Shaanxi
Persecution Suffered: Imprisonment, torture, home ransacked, detention

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Gao Shouhai, 48, died on May 15th, 2012 after he had been physically abused and tortured in Weinan Prison for nearly 4 years. The prison authorities have tightly blocked news of his death. Information about his death and details regarding the persecution he was subjected to are being investigated.

Mr. Gao Shouhai, former pharmacist at Xianyang City No. 704 Factory, was arrested on May 17th, 2008. Participating in the arrest were Xianyang City Police Department 610 Office agents (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) and officers from the Weicheng District Domestic Security Division. It has been reported that the police mobilized several vehicles and took away several printers, CD-burners, computers, a large sum of money and other personal belongings from Mr. Gao's home. Qindu District Court officials in Xianyang City sentenced Mr. Gao to 8 years in prison on September 25th, 2008. Mr. Gao was sent to Weinan Prison in December that same year.

Mr. Gao had been held in the New-Entry Team, also called Ward No. 11 in the prison, where a large number of Falun Gong practitioners are being held and persecuted. Over the past few years, team lead Zhang Zhongqiu instigated ruthless criminal Su Mingying, whose nickname is “the beast,” to severely physically abuse and torture Falun Gong practitioners.

The prison officials subsequently transferred some practitioners to other wards. Mr. Gao Shouhai and others who had been on a long-term hunger strike to protest the persecution remained in Ward No. 11, because prison officials planned to continue persecuting them. After the prison's Education Section head, Liu Gennian, was transferred and named political head of Ward No.11, he intensified the persecution of practitioners. At 11:00 p.m. on May 15th, 2012, Mr. Gao died as a result of long-term torture and physical abuse.