(Clearwisdom.net) We urgently call on the international community to help rescue severely persecuted Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Long Guande in Guangdong Province.
Mr. Long Guande used to live in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, and later moved to Zhuhai City. He owned a well-known interior decorating company. After he began practicing Falun Gong in 1995, he experienced tremendous changes both physically and spiritually. Because of the persecution, however, he was compelled to close his business and go into exile.
Officers from the Guangzhou City Police Department and the Dongwan City Police Department arrested him in September 2007 and savagely beat him. Mr. Long Guande was critically injured during his arrest and is currently held at the No. 3 Detention Center in Guangzhou City. The local authorities still refuse to give him access to medical treatment, and he is fighting for his life.
1. Background of Persecution Suffered Since July 20, 1999
Practicing Falun Gong cured numerous illnesses that Mr. Long had endured. He used to lead a promiscuous life, but the practice helped him abandon his former lifestyle. He also became more generous and often helped people with his money. Zhuhai City National Security Section Head Yang Son was acquainted with Mr. Long and admitted Long had indeed changed for the better because of Falun Gong.
Before the persecution, Mr. Long had approximately 10 million Yuan [$1.25 million U.S.] in assets and had a stable and enjoyable home life. After July 20, 1999, however, Zhuhai City government officials, the police, 610 Office agents and other officials constantly harassed him. He was unable to continue his business, as he was arrested several times. and he decided to leave home. Guangdong Province Pubic Security Department officials and Zhuhai City Police Department agents issued an arrest warrant for him and also made his relatives' life very difficult.
Zhuhai City police arrested Mr. Long, his wife and their two children, both around six years of age then, on August 17, 2001. In the next few years, the family lived in exile and went through a life of fear and uncertainty.
The most recent arrest took place on September 23, 2007, when officers from the Guangzhou City Police Department and from the Dongcheng District Police Department in Dongwan City arrested Mr. Long. We do not know his current situation because the authorities refuse to let his family see him. An anonymous government official revealed to us that the police brutally beat Mr. Long during the arrest and that they have held numerous interrogation sessions.
It has been verified that as Mr. Long was leaving his home in Dongcheng District, Dongwan City at 10 a.m. on September 23, 2007, eight officers from the Guangzhou City Police Department and several plainclothes officers from the Dongcheng District Police Department approached him and began savagely beating him without saying a word.
Mr. Long's family hired lawyer Long Hangming at the end of 2007, who found out that his client had sustained severe internal organ damage. Mr. Long had vomited, coughed up blood and had blood in his stool for nearly ten days. He was in critical condition at the time.
2. Denial of medical treatment
Tianhe District Court officials in Guangzhou City held a show trial on August 4, 2008. Public prosecutor Guo Xiupeng made several unfounded charges against Mr. Long. Mr. Long related the physical abuse he had received in detention, and said that he requested a medical examination many times , but he was ignored.
One detention center official later on said that Mr. Long's skin was severely jaundiced and that he coughed almost non-stop. He also remarked on how Mr. Long was emaciated. The officials eventually sent him to the hospital after a prolonged delay. A blood test and X-ray determined that the beatings had severely injured Long's right lung and liver, leading to tissue adhesion and a partially collapsed right lung. He contracted hepatitis B and also developed a brain tumor, in addition to other complications.
According to the doctor, the hospital where Long was taken could not repair his right lung adhesion, which could lead to severe respiratory problems and even death. Right now, Long's family and friends are petitioning to have him released on medical parole so that he can go to a better hospital.
3. Threats to legal council and denial of business permit to family
Lawyer Long Hangming quit from the case after receiving threats from the local government. Mr. Long's family initially hired Long Hangming, a native of Zhanjiang City, as his defense lawyer. He truthfully reported Mr. Long's condition at the detention center to his family. Soon afterwards, authorities from the Guangdong Province National Security Bureau, the Zhanjiang City Domestic Security Bureau and the Wuzhou City Judicial Bureau threatened him and warned him "not to get involved with Falun Gong cases," or his license would be revoked. He then quit the case, fearing retaliation.
Dongcheng District Police Department agents recently stopped Dongcheng District Industry and Commerce Bureau officials from issuing a business license to Mr. Long's relatives, who fulfilled all the requirements for obtaining a license and were ready for an opening. The police also coerced his relatives to leave Dongwan. This has tremendously distressed and disrupted Long's relatives' lives.
4. Mr. Long is one of many similar cases
Over the past few years, we have confirmed many persecution cases similar to that of Mr. Long, who are suffering persecution solely for their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Falun Gong is a spiritual belief system whose practitioners are a group of resilient, compassionate individuals that are steadfast in their faith in spite of the brutality they face.
We demand that officials at the Guangdong Provincial Government immediately release Mr. Long and compensate his family for all injuries and losses caused to them as a result of the persecution. We demand that the Communist regime immediately release all Falun Gong practitioners.
