Zhao Mingzhi - 赵明芝
(Minghui.org) Ms. Zhao Mingzhi was harassed many times and sentenced to prison twice because she practiced Falun Gong. She was released on September 27, 2012, after finishing a two-year term in Guiyang Women's Prison. She was emaciated, her eyes were sunken, she had difficulty walking and was unable to eat. She died on December 16, 2012 at the age of 69.
Before practicing Falun Gong, Ms. Zhao had a bad temper and was illiterate. After she started practicing, she became calmer, kinder, healthy, and full of energy. She even started to read. Her daughter-in-law told others that she was the best person after she started practicing Falun Gong. Her husband, Mr. Lu Rangzhong, also started the practice and benefited a great deal both physically and mentally.
However, Ms. Zhao was seriously harmed during the past ten plus years of the persecution of Falun Gong. She was arrested in 2002 by officers from the Renhuai Police Department. She was sentenced to three years in prison and held in Yang'ai Prison. Her husband was sentenced to seven years in prison. On September 28, 2010, Ms. Zhao and her husband were arrested by officers from the Domestic Security Division of the Renhuai Police Department. She was sentenced to two years in prison and incarcerated in Guiyang Women's Prison.
While still in detention, Ms. Zhao began to cough. When she was taken to the prison on July 13, 2011, the doctor said that coughing was “no big deal for an old woman.” Starting December 2011, she was forced to take pills, and was also given 40 injections. It was said to be penicillin, but her symptoms were getting worse. She could not sleep because of coughing, and others who shared the room with her were bothered by her coughing and could not sleep either. So Ms. Zhao went to the bathroom to cough.
Ms. Zhao was getting thinner every day. She could not eat and her health was deteriorating. Guard Zhang Houxian and others forced her to write “four statements” (similar to three statements), fingerprint the documents, and swear at the Teacher of Falun Gong. She was not allowed to talk to other Falun Gong practitioners. She was in great pain physically and mentally. Her health kept deteriorating.
When Ms. Zhao was released from the prison, she had difficulty walking. Later on, she became bedridden, and even needed help to turn over. She was not able to eat or drink. An originally healthy person was persecuted to death just because of her belief.
