(Minghui.org) Mr. Pan Gang’s family was shocked when they received a call from the local detention center on January 9, 2024, stating that their loved one had been transferred to prison to serve a four-year term for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Pan, a 66-year-old Nong’an County, Jilin Province resident, was arrested by officers from the Gucheng Police Station on April 14, 2023, while walking on the street. The police snatched his home key and raided his place. His Falun Gong books, photo of Falun Gong’s founder, cellphone, and documents about his previous labor-camp terms and prison term for practicing Falun Gong were confiscated. The police didn’t inform his family about his arrest. When they went to the police station to inquire about his case, the police refused to provide any information.
Mr. Pan’s family later found out that he was being held at the Nong’an County Detention Center. They went to visit him in May 2023, but were rejected. They didn’t receive any subsequent updates about his case, until the call from the detention center in early January 2024, informing them of Mr. Pan’s admission to the Jilin Province Prison. But the detention center guard refused to reveal any information about his indictment, trial, or sentencing.
Previous Three Labor Camp Terms and an Eight-Year Prison Term
Mr. Pan used to work for the Nong’an County Tax Bureau. He disciplined himself according to Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and refused to accept any bribery. After the persecution began, the bureau’s director, Peng Yanfu, who was in charge of forcing the practitioners to renounce their faith, said to Mr. Pan, “If you can behave like other employees, who accept bribery and engage in other corrupt acts, I will leave you alone.”
As Mr. Pan remained firm in his faith, his salary has been suspended since 2001, although he wasn’t officially fired by the tax bureau. In addition to the financial persecution, he was also given three labor camp terms, in 2001, 2003, and 2005. He endured brutal torture while in custody.
Mr. Pan was arrested again on January 10, 2010, for talking to people about Falun Gong. More than ten officers raided his home and confiscated his Falun Gong books and informational materials. The police and detention center guards tortured him with various methods, attempting to force him to renounce Falun Gong, but to no avail.
Mr. Pan began a hunger strike to protest the persecution. The police tried to force-feed him a few days later, but didn’t succeed. They took him to a hospital, threatening to sell his home to pay his medical bill. Despite his weak physical condition, the police took him to the labor camp, but it refused to admit him. He was taken back to the Nong’an County Detention Center, where he had trouble eating, and struggled with various medical conditions. The police and detention center refused to release him or allow his family to visit him.
The Nong’an County Court held a secret hearing for Mr. Pan on an unknown date. The authorities arranged a heavy police presence outside the court, in preparation to suppress Ms. Pan’s family and friends if they came to demand his release. He was later sentenced to eight years in Gongzhuling Prison.
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