(Minghui.org) During the 15 years of persecution against Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party, Cheng Jingwu, from Haigeng Sports Training Base in Kunming City, has been sent to forced labor camps twice, sentenced to prison once, and sent to a brainwashing center once. He has been detained for a total of 8 years. The last time he was imprisoned, he was fired. On March 26, 2014 when he was 57 years old, he was released from Yunnan Province No.1 Prison after being detained for three years.
Below is his account of the persecution that he's suffered.
Benefiting Greatly from Practicing Falun Dafa
I started to cultivate Falun Dafa in 1997. Within six months, my gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer were healed.
I was the chief of the food section. I smoked a lot, frequently got drunk and often stayed out all night to play mahjong and gamble. I took advantage of my position and accepted bribes. After I began practicing Falun Gong, I quit smoking, drinking and gambling, and cared a lot more about my wife and child. And I refused any bribes. I tried my best to discipline myself according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Forcibly Brainwashed
At the end of December 2000, Xia Anji, the chief of training base security section, and Tang Shengzhi went with me to the 10-day brainwashing session held by Panglong City 610 Office. I was forced to write a statement to guarantee that I gave up practicing Falun Gong, otherwise, I could not go back home.
During the First Forced Labor Term, I Was Demoted
On April 12, 2002, Chief Qiu of the Panlong District 610 Office led a group of people to arrest me and I was sent to Panlong District No. 2 Detention Center for more than 40 days. I had to do heavy labor and was forced to recite the prison rules. Li Jinchang, an officer from Panlong Police Department, came to the detention center to interrogate me twice. He wanted to know who I had contact with.
Later, I was sent to Yunnan Province No. 2 Forced Labor Camp for one year on the excuse that I “disrupted social order”. I was assigned to the farm group to plant vegetables. They also did brainwashing and tried to force me to give up my belief.
My unit expelled me from the Party, dismissed me from my associate chief position, and stopped my wages. I went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Because of this, the labor camp extended my detention by more than 50 days. I was released at the beginning of June in 2003. When I went back to work, I was assigned to maintain the soccer field grass.
During the Second Forced Labor Term, My Family Was Broken Apart
On February 4, 2004, I went to Kunming City to distribute truth-clarifying materials, but I was arrested by the police and sent to the Tuodong Police Station. They searched me, and asked for my name, unit and where I got the truth-clarifying materials. When they asked why I persisted in practicing, I started to clarify the truth to them.
While I was detained at the police station, officers together with personnel from the Panlong District Domestic Security Division led by chief Li Jinchang broke into my home and searched it. At that time, my wife and my son were at home. What they did traumatized my son badly.
That same night, Wang Shiyu, deputy head of my unit, came to the police station and bailed me out. I went to work the next day. However, during the next 20 days, I was closely watched and my activities were limited. The Domestic Security Division threatened my superior to guarantee that I would stop distributing truth-clarifying materials. They also threatened my wife and told her to keep an eye on me.
Around 10 a.m. on March 1 when I was at work, the head of my unit Li Jinchang and a police officer got me into a car. After they drove some distance, Li Jinchang showed me a notification and declared that I was sentenced to forced labor for three years because I had “disrupted social order”.
I was sent to Yunnan Province No. 2 Forced Labor Camp again. Political head Li talked with me many times and tried to persuade me to give up my belief. I went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution; however, because of this the labor camp extended my detention by 10 more months.
Because my unit suspended my wages for almost four years, my wife and son had no income and their lives were very difficult.
On December 17, 2007, I was released. However, officers from the local police station came to harass me many times and put my family under great pressure. At last my wife couldn't take it any more and wanted a divorce. My family was broken apart and I become homeless.
Arrested and Sentenced
At 1:00 p.m. on March 26, 2011 when I was distributing truth-clarifying materials in Kunming City, I was arrested by officers Liu Zhong and He Yong from Daguan Police Station.
They searched me and took away my keys and bank book. From the information on my bank book, they found my unit. Officers Ma Bin and Ma Yinghui from the Wuhua District Domestic Security Division interrogated me and tried to find out which practitioners I knew. I refused to answer.
Around 6:00 p.m., I was taken back to my dorm. They searched my dorm and confiscated more than ten books written by Master Li, 40 to 50 truth-clarifying pamphlets and two paper cutters. Then I was sent to Wuhua District Detention Center.
Two weeks later, an officer from the Kunming City Procuratorate came to interrogate me and tried to make it look as though I had committed some crime. He tried to fabricate some “evidence” they wanted. On September 28, 2011, the Kunming City Procuratorate indicted me.
My Righteous Defense Silences the Court
In the middle of November 2011, the Kunming City Intermediate Court opened a session for my case. They didn't inform any of my family members, nor did they inform my work unit. When it was my turn to read my defense statement, I asked them to unlock the handcuffs behind my back, but the presiding judge declined. He told me to submit the statement and he would read it later.
The presiding judge asked me if I wanted to say anything, I said, “I've been sent to forced labor camp twice and had no chance to appeal for Falun Dafa and my Master. I'm glad that I have the chance now. As to the crime that the procurator charged me with, I have a few questions: do you have any evidence or laws to prove that practicing Falun Gong is a crime? I only distributed two pieces of materials, so which law did I break?”
Suddenly the whole court was quiet. The procurator was in a panic and asked, “How do you explain the April 25 th gathering?”
I replied, “This question has nothing to do with my case. However, since you want to know, I will answer you.” Thus I clarified what happened on April 25 th and that it was a peaceful appeal. Everyone in the court learned the truth.
At last, I said, “I've answered your question, now it's your turn to answer mine.” The court became quiet again. Then the presiding judge had to adjourn. He asked me to sign the court trial record, but I refused. I was sent back to the detention center.
Sentenced to Three Years and Fired
Ten months later, in September 2012, I received the court verdict. The date on the verdict was marked as December 20, 2011.
I appealed to the Yunnan Province High Court. Two months later, I got a response, which dismissed the appeal and upheld the original judgment.
On December 20, 2012, I was sent to Yunnan Province No. 1 Prison. The prison assigned eight prisoners to take turns surrounding and monitoring me. They specifically assigned a cell to me, where I slept in the middle and the others slept around me.
One month later, two people who had stopped practicing came every day from Monday to Friday and tried to brainwash me, and force me to give up my belief. They did this for a whole month, but I remained steadfast in my belief. Then two officers from the education section took over the brainwashing, and forced me to watch videos which slandered Falun Gong. However, after two months, I still refused to stop practicing.
They had no choice but to send me back to my cell. They gradually reduced the number of prisoners monitoring me. At last, only two prisoners were left.
Practitioner Mr. Li Wenbo was in the same prison. He suffered brutal torture. When I was released, he was sent to the hospital because of stomach bleeding. In fact he was sent to the prison hospital several times.
I went back home on March 26, 2014. Local police, personnel from street agency and my son came to meet me outside of the prison.
While I was imprisoned, I was fired. Before October 2013, I still received five hundred yuan every month. However, after I was fired, I got nothing.
