While India is the country of focus this month, I have just received word of a distressing situation taking place in China right now. To find the information and video links pertaining to India, scroll past this blog and the next one to find the post that says "India: A lesson in forgiveness".
I recently received an email from China Aide about Gao Zhisheng. Gao is part of the ChinaAid Legal Defense Team, and has defended Christians in China for many years. Just recently, on February 4th, he was kidnapped by more than a dozen police officers. He has not been seen or heard of since then. His family believes that this is a direct result of a recent letter Gao published to the international community about his earlier capture and torture in 2007 by the Chinese government. They are afraid that since he has gone missing, he is experiencing the same torture now that he described from his 2007 imprisonment. Please pray for Gao's immediate release and strength for him and his family. Gao is now suffering because he believes it is imperative to tell the world what happened to him and what is now occuring in China. Because of that, S.U.B.M.I.T. has posted his account on the web page. However, due to the graphic torture that is described, it is posted in a separate blog labeled "Gao's Testimony". Please read it at your own discretion and remember to intercede for our brother in Christ who is now suffering for his faith.
Update January 2012
After nearly two years with no news of the whereabouts or fate of “disappeared” Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, his family and supporters were relieved to learn on New Year’s Day that he was alive, but dismayed that Chinese authorities had put him in a remote prison in a desolate part of far west China to serve out his newly imposed three-year sentence. The information was conveyed in a notification from the Shaya (Xayar) Prison in Xinjiang, a minority region in far western China, to Gao’s older brother, Gao Zhiyi, who immediately contacted ChinaAid with the news. ChinaAid has partnered closely with Gao’s family to find him and to raise international awareness of his case. ChinaAid founder and president Bob Fu conveyed the news to Gao’s wife and children, who escaped from China and are now living in the United States. Gao disappeared into police custody in April 2010, the most recent in a series of forced disappearances since his 2006 conviction on a subversion charge. On Dec. 16, just days before his five-year probation period was to have ended, the Chinese government announced that it was sending him to prison for three years for violating his probation. That was the first word that he was still alive, but no information of his whereabouts or condition was released until the notification from the prison, which was dated Dec. 19. Shaya (Xayar) Prison is located in Aksu Prefecture, about 1,130 kilometers (700 miles) southwest of the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi.
UPDATE August 2011
Investigation requested for missing human rights lawyer in China
(Source: ChinaAid Association)
VOM partner ChinaAid formally requested a special UN investigation into the torture of missing Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng on August 15, the five-year anniversary of his first kidnapping by police. The request was submitted by ChinaAid's legal counsel and was filed with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. Human rights lawyer Gao was taken by police on August 15, 2006, from his sister's home and held incommunicado until the Chinese government announced on September 21 that he was being charged with inciting subversion (for more information, go to www.persecution.net/cn-2011-01-13.htm). In March 2010, a group of human rights specialists filed a petition before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which resulted in the discovery of serious wrongdoing by the Chinese government. However, Chinese authorities failed to even reply to the UN enquiry. Those involved were told that Gao's case is a matter of China's internal affairs, adding that the country is under rule of law. ChinaAid founder and president, Bob Fu, and the organization's legal counsel, David E. Taylor, expect that China is likely to respond similarly to this request for a special UN investigation. "Nonetheless, we believe it is important for the international community to see again how the Chinese Communist Party responds with arrogance and recalcitrance to the UN, and to show the world, especially Gao's family and the Chinese government, that Gao has not been forgotten for even one second and never will be," Taylor said.
UPDATE March 25
I just received word today that Gao is still being held prisoner in China and is being subjected to extreme torture. His wife and children escaped to the US two weeks ago, and they are concerned that their flight will only infuriate Gao's captors even more. Please pray for him amd his family. Also, let's remember to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Anyone can review and sign a petition on Gao's behalf that is asking the Chinese government for his immediate release. The petition is at www.FreeGao.com
UPDATE April 23
Gao’s wife, Geng He, together with ChinaAid founder and president, Bob Fu met with Senator Bryon Dorgan, Co-chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) and presented him with a copy of the petition. The same day, the Senator spoke from the Senate floor about Gao Zhisheng’s case, “[The] Chinese government has signed or ratified most of the international human rights commitments that require it to come clean about Mr. Gao. And I call on and we call on today the Chinese government to allow Mr. Gao to have access to a lawyer, access to his family and to publicly state and justify the grounds for the continued detention of this courageous person.”
UPDATE April 29
On April 27 ChinaAid delivered more than 50,000 signatures to the U.S. Secretary of State Clinton representing concerned citizens in the U.S. and around the world who are asking for the immediate release of Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights attorney who was kidnapped by Chinese officials more than 80 days ago. Copies of the petition have also been given to the U.S. Congress and the Chinese Embassy.
UPDATE May 16
On May 14, the 99th day since Chinese Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng’s kidnapping by government officials, four U.S. Senators issued a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao calling for the Chinese government to release Gao. The four signatories are: Senators Bryon Dorgan (D-ND and Chairman of the Congressional - Executive Commission on China), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Sam Brownback (R-KS).
UPDATE July 16
On July 9 and 10 ChinaAid delivered more than 100,000 signatures to the Chinese Embassy, the U.S. State Department and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). The signatures represent concerned citizens in the U.S. and around the world who are asking for the immediate release of Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights attorney who was kidnapped by Chinese officials on February 4. The petition is the second installment of signatures on behalf of Gao. The first installment of more than 50,000 signatures was delivered at the end of April; the latest petition included these signatures. On July 9, Attorney David E. Taylor, a ChinaAid volunteer, delivered the petition for Gao’s release to the Chinese Embassy. He was allowed inside the embassy, but when the Chinese Embassy staff saw the petition was from ChinaAid for Gao Zhisheng they told him he must leave and refused to accept the petition. The embassy staff at the door said, “I’m sorry, Sir, I’m sorry! Take it away!” Taylor left the petition at the front door of the embassy, and stated that: “According to the law, leaving the petition on Chinese property, the embassy, amounts to ‘legal service.’ The Chinese Embassy was legally served with the petition even though they tried to avoid it.” Taylor said it was a profound honor to deliver the petition on behalf of the 100,000 signatories. He feels holding the Chinese government accountable is not only important for Gao, but also for all human rights lawyers in China. As an American lawyer, he feels a personal responsibility to speak out. “It is time that we, the American lawyers be heard, to lobby for that which is far more sacred than our own interests – the interests of real human rights across the world and, at this moment, particularly in China.”
UPDATE September 8
Congress sent a letter to President Hu Jintao expressing their concern about the disappearance of Gao and other hunman rights lawyers.
UPDATE October 1
Chinaaide has confirmed that Gao is alive, allegedly released on parole, though his condition and whereabouts are still unknown.
UPDATE January 2010
Since mid-December 2009, rumours have circulated about the condition of Gao Zhisheng. The official who originally detained Gao in February 2009 recently told Gao's brother, Zhiyi, that Gao allegedly "went missing while out on a walk" on September 25. This is the first time a Chinese government official has hinted that they no longer have Gao in their custody, raising fears that his condition has taken a turn for the worse. Unconfirmed reports suggest that he may have died following brutal torture in prison. However, the Chinese government has refused to officially comment on his whereabouts. Bob Fu, the President of VOMC partner ChinaAid, said of the new development: "We have every reason to suspect that the Chinese government has something very serious to hide. Gao's family has every right to know what happened to him. It is unbelievable that a high security prisoner would go missing while 'out on a walk,' without suspecting that there is a major cover up of his condition." Gao's wife was visibly upset upon hearing the news of his alleged disappearance and his young daughter, Gege, has allegedly been pale and fatigued for months due to concern for her father. After hearing a rumour just before Christmas that her father was dead, Gege became so distraught that she was forced to be hospitalized. At last report, she was receiving care at a hospital in New York.
Here are some videos of Gao before his most recent arrest.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Gao's Testimony (Warning: Graphic Torture)
This video is a dramatic re-enactment of Gao's testimony told in his own words. Watch at your own discretion, but know Gao Zhisheng risked everything to challenge the dark system of communism -- he dared to speak the truth. Gao said to his wife that if he should be persecuted for speaking the truth, he believed that people of justice throughout the world would stand with him. Let us stand with him now. As hard as this is to see and hear, we should not shut our eyes and turn our heads away. Instead, we should stand and face it with our eyes wide open while tears pour down our face for what he has suffered, and is still suffering even now. Then we should fall to our knees in prayer and ask our Almighty and Invincible God to do what we cannot. Ask Him to move in this world on behalf of Gao Zhisheng. May we also ask Him to transform our own hearts so that we might not walk away from Gao's testimony unchanged.
"Dark Night, Dark Hood and Kidnapping by Dark Mafia"
(My account of more than 50 days of torture in 2007)
By GAO ZHISHEG
These words from me today will be finally revealed one day. It will expose its true face in today’s China. It will disclose the unimaginable heart and characteristics of the “ruling party” in China. Of course, these words will inevitably bring unpleasant and even upset embarrassed feelings to those global “good friends” and “nice partners” of today’s CCP- IF these global “good friends” and “nice partners” still have some fear to the value of human conscience and morality in their hearts.
Today, the suddenly well off CCP has not only gained more and more global “good friends” and “nice partners” but also has made those perverted slogan such as “China is a country rule of law” lauder and lauder. Both will be disastrous to the progress and development of the human rights of the Chinese people.
Around 8 p.m. on September 21, 2007 the authorities notified me orally that I should go for a mind re-education (reform) talk. I found there were some unusual things happening at this time. The secret police, who used to follow me very closely, kept a further distance. I was walking down the street one day and when I turned a corner, about six or seven strangers started walking towards me. I suddenly felt a strong blow to the back of my neck and fell face down on the ground. Someone yanked my hair and a black hood was pulled over my head immediately.
I was brought to a vehicle and was put in it. Although I couldn’t see, it seemed to me that it had two benches with a space in the middle. I was put in the space in the middle on the floor. My right cheek was on the ground. All of a sudden a boot was put on my face holding me down. Many hands started searching all over me. My belt was pulled off and then used to tie my hands behind my back. At least four people put their feet on me holding me down.
About 40 minutes later I was dragged out of the car. My pants were falling down around my knees and I was dragged into a room. No one had said anything at all to me until that time. The hood was pulled off of my head at this time. Immediately men began cursing and hitting me. “ **, your date of death has come today. Brothers, let’s give him a brutal lesson today. Beat him to death.”
Then, four men with electric shock prods began beating my head and all over my body. Nothing but the noise of the beating and my anxious breathing could be heard. I was beaten so severely that my whole body began uncontrollably shaking. “Don’t pretend to do that!” I was shouted at by a guy whom I later learned was named Wang. Then a very strong and tall (1.9 meters) man grabbed my hair and pulled me up off the ground. Then Wang began beating me on the face terribly. “**, you are not worthy to wear black clothes. Are you a Mafia leader? Pull off all of his clothes.”
All my clothes were pulled off and I was totally naked. Wang yelled again, and someone kicked me in the back of my legs, and I collapsed to the floor. The big guy continued to pull my hair and forced me to lift my head to see Wang. At this time, I could see that there were five people in the room. Four of the men were holding electric prods, and one was holding my belt. “You listen, Gao, today your uncles want nothing but to make your life worse than death. I tell you the truth, your matter is not only between you and the government. Look at the floor! There is not a single drop of water. After a while the water will be above your ankles. After a while you will learn where the water will come from.”
While Wang was saying this, the electric shock prods were put on my face and upper body shocking me. Wang then said, “Come on guys, deliver the second course!” Then, the electric shock baton was put all over me. And my full body, my heart, lungs and muscles began jumping under my skin uncontrollably. I was writhing on the ground in pain, trying to crawl away. Wang then shocked me in my genitals. My begging them to stop only returned laughing and more unbelievable torture. Wang then used the electric shock baton three more times on my genitals while shouting loudly. After a few hours of this I had no energy to even beg, let alone, try to escape. But my mind was still clear.
I felt my body was jerking very strongly when the baton touched me. I clearly felt some water sprinkled on my arms and legs as I was jerking. It was then I realized that this was sweat from me. I realized what Wang meant about the water.
It seems that the torturers themselves were also tired. Before the dawn came, three of them left the room. “We will come back later to give him the next course,” Wang said. The two left in the room, put a chair in the middle of the room and pulled me up and set me in the chair. One of them had five pieces of cigarettes in his mouth. One man stood behind me and the man with the cigarettes was in front. The man behind grabbed my hair and pulled my head forward and down. The other man used the cigarettes to fill my nose and eyes with smoke over and over. They did this with the utmost patience. After a while I didn’t have any feeling except for some tears dropping on my legs. This continued for about two hours.
Then some other guys came in replacing the previous two. My eyes could not see because they were now swollen shut. The new guys started talking, “Gao, are you still able to hear with your ears? I tell you the truth, these guys are experts in cracking down on Mafia guys. They are heavies. This time they are chosen specifically and carefully by the authority above for this purpose. Can you hear who I am? My last name is Jiang. I followed you to Xiajiang after you were released last year.”
“Are you the one from Penglai City, Shandong?” I asked.
“Yes, your memory is still good. I told you, you would come back sooner or later. When I saw you the way you behaved in Xiajiang, I knew you would be back. You even looked down upon our police. Shouldn’t we help you have a better lesson? You wrote that letter to American congressmen. Look at you, you traitor. What could you be given by your American lord? The American Congress counts for nothing. This is China. It is the Communist Party’s territory. To capture your life is as easy as stepping on an ant. If you dare to continue to write your stupid articles, the government has to make its attitude clear. Now, did you see that attitude tonight?” Jiang spoke slowly.
I asked, “How can you face the beating of Chinese and use Mafia tactics on Chinese taxpayers?”
“You are an object to be beaten. You know that in your heart better than most.
Taxpayers count for nothing in China. Don’t talk about this term taxpayers.”
While he was saying this, someone else entered the room. I recognized the voice to be Wang’s. “Don’t talk to him with your mouth. Give him the real thing. Your uncles have prepared 12 courses. We only finished 3 last night. Your chief uncle doesn’t like to talk and so following you will see that you will have to eat your own S*** and drink your own piss. A toothpick will touch your light (sexual organs). Don’t you talk about torture by the Communist Party yet, because we will give you a comprehensive lesson now! You are correct, we torture Falun Gong. Everything is right. The 12 courses we’re going to give to you were practiced on the Falun Gong, to tell you the truth. I am not afraid of you if you continue to write. We can torture you to death without your body being found. You stinky outsider (meaning, not from Beijing)! What are you thinking even being here?”
In the following hours of torture I passed out several times, because of lack of water and food and heavy sweating. I was lying down on the cold floor naked. I felt several times someone come and open my eyes and shine a flashlight in them to see if I was still alive. When I would come to, I smelled the strong odor of stinky urine. My face, nose, and hair were filled with the smell. Obviously, but I don’t know when, someone urinated in my face and on my head.
This torture continued until around noon on the third day. I don’t know where I got the strength to endure, but somehow I struggled to get away from their grasp and began to beat my head on the table. I was shouting the names of my two children (Tiangyu and GeGe) and trying to kill myself. But my attempt did not succeed. I thank Almighty God for this. It is Him who rescued me. I truly felt God drag me back from that state and give me my life. My eyes were full of bleeding, though because of my head banging. I fell on the ground. Immediately, three people sat on my body. One was on my face. They were laughing. They said I used my death to try to scare them. They said they have just seen this too many times. They then continued the torture again until that night. I could not see anything with my eyes anymore. I could still hear my torturers though, and again they gathered after they had dinner.
One of them came and pulled my hair dragging me up. “Gao, are you hungry? Tell us the truth?”
I said, “I am very hungry.”
“Do you want to eat? Tell us the truth?”
I said, “I want to eat.” My face instead was slapped repeatedly, a dozen times or more, and I again collapsed to the ground. A boot stomped on my chest and I was shocked with the baton on my chin. I screamed. Then the baton was put into my mouth.
“Let’s see how different your mouth is from others. Don’t you want to eat? You said you are hungry. Are you worthy?” The baton was in my mouth but was not turned on. I didn’t know what they wanted to do.
Wang said, “Gao, do you know why we didn’t destroy your mouth? Tonight your uncles want you to talk the whole night. We want you to talk about nothing, but about how you are a womanizer. You are not allowed to say you are not one. You are not allowed to say there are just a few women, either. Don’t forget any details. You can’t leave any details out. Your uncles like this. We have slept and eaten enough, it’s your time to talk.”
“Why didn’t he talk? Beat him up brothers?” Wang shouted. Three batons began
shocking me. I was crawling all over trying to get away still naked. After more than 10 minutes, I was shaking uncontrollably again.
I begged them. “I didn’t have an affair. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you.” I heard my voice was quivering.
“Are you becoming a fool? Let’s use the baton to light you and see if you start talking.” Then two people stretched out my arms and pinned them to the ground. They used toothpicks to pierce my genitals. I can’t use any language to describe the helplessness, pain, and despair that I felt then. At a point like that, language and emotion do not have the power to explain. Finally I made up stories, telling them about affairs that I had with four women. After more repeated torture, I had to describe how I had sex with each of these women. This continued until dawn the next day.
At that time, I was dragged to where I had to sign the transcript of my confession about my affairs. “If we send this out, you will become stinky dog’ s *** in half a year.” Wang said loudly. (After I was released, I learned that the day after the torture the interrogator named Sun Huo informed my wife about “the truth” they learned about my affairs. My wife told them it was none of their business; she said, “I still trust Gao.”)
After this torture for days, I often lost consciousness and was unable to determine the passage of time. I don’t know how long had passed. A group of them were preparing to torture me again. Another guy came in though and rebuked them. I could hear it was a deputy director from the Beijing PSB. I had seen him many times before. I thought him to be a good person. I could not see him though, because my eyes were still swollen. My whole body was beaten and unrecognizable. He sounded angry because of my condition. He found a doctor to attend to me. He said he was appalled and surprised. He said, “This torture doesn’t represent the Communist Party!”
I asked him, “Who directed this?”
He didn’t reply. I asked to be sent back home or even just back to prison. He didn’t reply. He brought my torturers back into the room and rebuked them. He ordered them to buy clothes for me and give me a blanket and food. He told me he would try his best to either get me back to prison or back home.
As soon as the deputy left, Wang began cursing me. “Gao, you even dream to go to prison? No, that is too easy. You won’t have any chance to do that as long as the CCP is still in power. Don’t even think about that.”
That same night, I was transported to another location but I didn’t know where, since I had a black hood over my head again. I was continuously tortured there again for another 10 days. Then one day, they put the hood on me again, and I was put into a vehicle. My head was forced in between my legs and I had to remain that way for more than an hour. The suffering was more than I could stand, and I wanted to die.
After another hour at a new location, the hood was removed. Four of the previous five torturers were not there. But, I saw the same group of secret police who used to follow me.
From then on the physical torture stopped, but emotional torture continued. I was told the 17th Communist Party Congress was starting and that I had to wait for the higher authorities’ opinions about my case.
During that time some officials came to visit my cell. Their attitude was softer, and I was also allowed to wash my face and brush my teeth. Some officials proposed to me to use my writing skills to curse Falun Gong instead, and that I could charge whatever I wanted for doing that.
I said it is not a technical problem but an ethical problem. “So,” they proposed, “if that is too hard, then write articles praising the government, and again charge whatever you want.” Finally they proposed, “If you write what we direct and that you were treated well after prison and that you were fooled by Falun Gong and Hu Jia, things will go well. Otherwise, how can you find an end to your suffering? Think of your wife and children.”
In exchange, I did write an article that said the government treated my family well. I wrote the open letter to the U.S. Congress and gave the reason that I was fooled by Falun Gong and Hu Jia. Before I was released to go home, though, I was brought to Xian city. I was brought to call Geng He (my wife). On the date of the mid-autumn festival, the authorities asked me to call my wife and comfort her since she was holding a protest and trying to commit suicide over the government’s treatment of our family. The content of the call was all designed by the authorities. (Later I learned that my wife’s response was also choreographed.) I could still not open one of my eyes at that time and since the call was being taped, I was told to explain that it was from myself-inflicted wound.
In the middle of November 2007, after I got home, I learned that my house was
thoroughly searched again without a single document or search warrant. During those more than 50 days of torture, I had many strange feelings. For example, sometimes I could hear “death” and sometimes could hear “life.”
After the 12th and 13th day of my kidnapping, and when I could again partially open my eyes, I saw my body was in a horrifying condition. Not a single square centimeter of my skin was normal. It was bruised and damaged over every part.
Every day while I was being held, the experience of “eating” was unusual. Whenever I was at the point of starving, they would bring up “mantle” (steamed bread) and offer it to me. If I would sing one of the three famous revolutionary Communist party songs I could have some bread. My deepest desire was that I wanted to live until that was no longer possible. My death would be torturous for my wife and children, but at the same time I didn’t want to dirty my soul. But, in that environment human dignity has no strength. If you don’t sing these songs you will continue to be starved, and they will continue to torture you, so I sang.
When they used the same tactic though, pressuring me to write articles attacking Falun Gong, I didn’t do it. But, I did compromise by writing my statement saying the government didn’t kidnap and torture me and that they treated my family well. I did sign that document.
During these more than 50 days, more horrible evils were committed than I told here. Those evils were not even worthy of any historical records by any human governments. But those records will further enable us to see clearly that how much further the leaders of CCP are willing go in its evil crime against humanity in order to protect its illegal monopoly power! Those evils are so dirty and disgusting, that I don’t want to mention it at this time and perhaps will never mention it in the future. Every time when I was tortured, I was always repeatedly threatened that, if I spelled out later what had happened to me, I would be tortured again, but I was told, “This time it will happen in front of your wife and children.” The tall strong man that pulled my hair repeated this over and over during the days I was tortured. “Your death is sure if you share this with the outside world.”
This was repeated many times. These brutal, violent acts are not right. Those that did it, themselves, knew this clearly in their hearts.
Finally, I want to say a few words which won’t be liked by some folks. I want to remind those so-called global “good friends”, “good partners” called by the CCP that the increasing degree of brutality and coldness against the Chinese people by the CCP is the direct result of appeasement by both you and us (our own Chinese people).
Gao Zhisheng
Written on November 28, 2007 at my besieged home in Beijing
Authorized to be released to international community on February 9, 2009
"Dark Night, Dark Hood and Kidnapping by Dark Mafia"
(My account of more than 50 days of torture in 2007)
By GAO ZHISHEG
These words from me today will be finally revealed one day. It will expose its true face in today’s China. It will disclose the unimaginable heart and characteristics of the “ruling party” in China. Of course, these words will inevitably bring unpleasant and even upset embarrassed feelings to those global “good friends” and “nice partners” of today’s CCP- IF these global “good friends” and “nice partners” still have some fear to the value of human conscience and morality in their hearts.
Today, the suddenly well off CCP has not only gained more and more global “good friends” and “nice partners” but also has made those perverted slogan such as “China is a country rule of law” lauder and lauder. Both will be disastrous to the progress and development of the human rights of the Chinese people.
Around 8 p.m. on September 21, 2007 the authorities notified me orally that I should go for a mind re-education (reform) talk. I found there were some unusual things happening at this time. The secret police, who used to follow me very closely, kept a further distance. I was walking down the street one day and when I turned a corner, about six or seven strangers started walking towards me. I suddenly felt a strong blow to the back of my neck and fell face down on the ground. Someone yanked my hair and a black hood was pulled over my head immediately.
I was brought to a vehicle and was put in it. Although I couldn’t see, it seemed to me that it had two benches with a space in the middle. I was put in the space in the middle on the floor. My right cheek was on the ground. All of a sudden a boot was put on my face holding me down. Many hands started searching all over me. My belt was pulled off and then used to tie my hands behind my back. At least four people put their feet on me holding me down.
About 40 minutes later I was dragged out of the car. My pants were falling down around my knees and I was dragged into a room. No one had said anything at all to me until that time. The hood was pulled off of my head at this time. Immediately men began cursing and hitting me. “ **, your date of death has come today. Brothers, let’s give him a brutal lesson today. Beat him to death.”
Then, four men with electric shock prods began beating my head and all over my body. Nothing but the noise of the beating and my anxious breathing could be heard. I was beaten so severely that my whole body began uncontrollably shaking. “Don’t pretend to do that!” I was shouted at by a guy whom I later learned was named Wang. Then a very strong and tall (1.9 meters) man grabbed my hair and pulled me up off the ground. Then Wang began beating me on the face terribly. “**, you are not worthy to wear black clothes. Are you a Mafia leader? Pull off all of his clothes.”
All my clothes were pulled off and I was totally naked. Wang yelled again, and someone kicked me in the back of my legs, and I collapsed to the floor. The big guy continued to pull my hair and forced me to lift my head to see Wang. At this time, I could see that there were five people in the room. Four of the men were holding electric prods, and one was holding my belt. “You listen, Gao, today your uncles want nothing but to make your life worse than death. I tell you the truth, your matter is not only between you and the government. Look at the floor! There is not a single drop of water. After a while the water will be above your ankles. After a while you will learn where the water will come from.”
While Wang was saying this, the electric shock prods were put on my face and upper body shocking me. Wang then said, “Come on guys, deliver the second course!” Then, the electric shock baton was put all over me. And my full body, my heart, lungs and muscles began jumping under my skin uncontrollably. I was writhing on the ground in pain, trying to crawl away. Wang then shocked me in my genitals. My begging them to stop only returned laughing and more unbelievable torture. Wang then used the electric shock baton three more times on my genitals while shouting loudly. After a few hours of this I had no energy to even beg, let alone, try to escape. But my mind was still clear.
I felt my body was jerking very strongly when the baton touched me. I clearly felt some water sprinkled on my arms and legs as I was jerking. It was then I realized that this was sweat from me. I realized what Wang meant about the water.
It seems that the torturers themselves were also tired. Before the dawn came, three of them left the room. “We will come back later to give him the next course,” Wang said. The two left in the room, put a chair in the middle of the room and pulled me up and set me in the chair. One of them had five pieces of cigarettes in his mouth. One man stood behind me and the man with the cigarettes was in front. The man behind grabbed my hair and pulled my head forward and down. The other man used the cigarettes to fill my nose and eyes with smoke over and over. They did this with the utmost patience. After a while I didn’t have any feeling except for some tears dropping on my legs. This continued for about two hours.
Then some other guys came in replacing the previous two. My eyes could not see because they were now swollen shut. The new guys started talking, “Gao, are you still able to hear with your ears? I tell you the truth, these guys are experts in cracking down on Mafia guys. They are heavies. This time they are chosen specifically and carefully by the authority above for this purpose. Can you hear who I am? My last name is Jiang. I followed you to Xiajiang after you were released last year.”
“Are you the one from Penglai City, Shandong?” I asked.
“Yes, your memory is still good. I told you, you would come back sooner or later. When I saw you the way you behaved in Xiajiang, I knew you would be back. You even looked down upon our police. Shouldn’t we help you have a better lesson? You wrote that letter to American congressmen. Look at you, you traitor. What could you be given by your American lord? The American Congress counts for nothing. This is China. It is the Communist Party’s territory. To capture your life is as easy as stepping on an ant. If you dare to continue to write your stupid articles, the government has to make its attitude clear. Now, did you see that attitude tonight?” Jiang spoke slowly.
I asked, “How can you face the beating of Chinese and use Mafia tactics on Chinese taxpayers?”
“You are an object to be beaten. You know that in your heart better than most.
Taxpayers count for nothing in China. Don’t talk about this term taxpayers.”
While he was saying this, someone else entered the room. I recognized the voice to be Wang’s. “Don’t talk to him with your mouth. Give him the real thing. Your uncles have prepared 12 courses. We only finished 3 last night. Your chief uncle doesn’t like to talk and so following you will see that you will have to eat your own S*** and drink your own piss. A toothpick will touch your light (sexual organs). Don’t you talk about torture by the Communist Party yet, because we will give you a comprehensive lesson now! You are correct, we torture Falun Gong. Everything is right. The 12 courses we’re going to give to you were practiced on the Falun Gong, to tell you the truth. I am not afraid of you if you continue to write. We can torture you to death without your body being found. You stinky outsider (meaning, not from Beijing)! What are you thinking even being here?”
In the following hours of torture I passed out several times, because of lack of water and food and heavy sweating. I was lying down on the cold floor naked. I felt several times someone come and open my eyes and shine a flashlight in them to see if I was still alive. When I would come to, I smelled the strong odor of stinky urine. My face, nose, and hair were filled with the smell. Obviously, but I don’t know when, someone urinated in my face and on my head.
This torture continued until around noon on the third day. I don’t know where I got the strength to endure, but somehow I struggled to get away from their grasp and began to beat my head on the table. I was shouting the names of my two children (Tiangyu and GeGe) and trying to kill myself. But my attempt did not succeed. I thank Almighty God for this. It is Him who rescued me. I truly felt God drag me back from that state and give me my life. My eyes were full of bleeding, though because of my head banging. I fell on the ground. Immediately, three people sat on my body. One was on my face. They were laughing. They said I used my death to try to scare them. They said they have just seen this too many times. They then continued the torture again until that night. I could not see anything with my eyes anymore. I could still hear my torturers though, and again they gathered after they had dinner.
One of them came and pulled my hair dragging me up. “Gao, are you hungry? Tell us the truth?”
I said, “I am very hungry.”
“Do you want to eat? Tell us the truth?”
I said, “I want to eat.” My face instead was slapped repeatedly, a dozen times or more, and I again collapsed to the ground. A boot stomped on my chest and I was shocked with the baton on my chin. I screamed. Then the baton was put into my mouth.
“Let’s see how different your mouth is from others. Don’t you want to eat? You said you are hungry. Are you worthy?” The baton was in my mouth but was not turned on. I didn’t know what they wanted to do.
Wang said, “Gao, do you know why we didn’t destroy your mouth? Tonight your uncles want you to talk the whole night. We want you to talk about nothing, but about how you are a womanizer. You are not allowed to say you are not one. You are not allowed to say there are just a few women, either. Don’t forget any details. You can’t leave any details out. Your uncles like this. We have slept and eaten enough, it’s your time to talk.”
“Why didn’t he talk? Beat him up brothers?” Wang shouted. Three batons began
shocking me. I was crawling all over trying to get away still naked. After more than 10 minutes, I was shaking uncontrollably again.
I begged them. “I didn’t have an affair. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you.” I heard my voice was quivering.
“Are you becoming a fool? Let’s use the baton to light you and see if you start talking.” Then two people stretched out my arms and pinned them to the ground. They used toothpicks to pierce my genitals. I can’t use any language to describe the helplessness, pain, and despair that I felt then. At a point like that, language and emotion do not have the power to explain. Finally I made up stories, telling them about affairs that I had with four women. After more repeated torture, I had to describe how I had sex with each of these women. This continued until dawn the next day.
At that time, I was dragged to where I had to sign the transcript of my confession about my affairs. “If we send this out, you will become stinky dog’ s *** in half a year.” Wang said loudly. (After I was released, I learned that the day after the torture the interrogator named Sun Huo informed my wife about “the truth” they learned about my affairs. My wife told them it was none of their business; she said, “I still trust Gao.”)
After this torture for days, I often lost consciousness and was unable to determine the passage of time. I don’t know how long had passed. A group of them were preparing to torture me again. Another guy came in though and rebuked them. I could hear it was a deputy director from the Beijing PSB. I had seen him many times before. I thought him to be a good person. I could not see him though, because my eyes were still swollen. My whole body was beaten and unrecognizable. He sounded angry because of my condition. He found a doctor to attend to me. He said he was appalled and surprised. He said, “This torture doesn’t represent the Communist Party!”
I asked him, “Who directed this?”
He didn’t reply. I asked to be sent back home or even just back to prison. He didn’t reply. He brought my torturers back into the room and rebuked them. He ordered them to buy clothes for me and give me a blanket and food. He told me he would try his best to either get me back to prison or back home.
As soon as the deputy left, Wang began cursing me. “Gao, you even dream to go to prison? No, that is too easy. You won’t have any chance to do that as long as the CCP is still in power. Don’t even think about that.”
That same night, I was transported to another location but I didn’t know where, since I had a black hood over my head again. I was continuously tortured there again for another 10 days. Then one day, they put the hood on me again, and I was put into a vehicle. My head was forced in between my legs and I had to remain that way for more than an hour. The suffering was more than I could stand, and I wanted to die.
After another hour at a new location, the hood was removed. Four of the previous five torturers were not there. But, I saw the same group of secret police who used to follow me.
From then on the physical torture stopped, but emotional torture continued. I was told the 17th Communist Party Congress was starting and that I had to wait for the higher authorities’ opinions about my case.
During that time some officials came to visit my cell. Their attitude was softer, and I was also allowed to wash my face and brush my teeth. Some officials proposed to me to use my writing skills to curse Falun Gong instead, and that I could charge whatever I wanted for doing that.
I said it is not a technical problem but an ethical problem. “So,” they proposed, “if that is too hard, then write articles praising the government, and again charge whatever you want.” Finally they proposed, “If you write what we direct and that you were treated well after prison and that you were fooled by Falun Gong and Hu Jia, things will go well. Otherwise, how can you find an end to your suffering? Think of your wife and children.”
In exchange, I did write an article that said the government treated my family well. I wrote the open letter to the U.S. Congress and gave the reason that I was fooled by Falun Gong and Hu Jia. Before I was released to go home, though, I was brought to Xian city. I was brought to call Geng He (my wife). On the date of the mid-autumn festival, the authorities asked me to call my wife and comfort her since she was holding a protest and trying to commit suicide over the government’s treatment of our family. The content of the call was all designed by the authorities. (Later I learned that my wife’s response was also choreographed.) I could still not open one of my eyes at that time and since the call was being taped, I was told to explain that it was from myself-inflicted wound.
In the middle of November 2007, after I got home, I learned that my house was
thoroughly searched again without a single document or search warrant. During those more than 50 days of torture, I had many strange feelings. For example, sometimes I could hear “death” and sometimes could hear “life.”
After the 12th and 13th day of my kidnapping, and when I could again partially open my eyes, I saw my body was in a horrifying condition. Not a single square centimeter of my skin was normal. It was bruised and damaged over every part.
Every day while I was being held, the experience of “eating” was unusual. Whenever I was at the point of starving, they would bring up “mantle” (steamed bread) and offer it to me. If I would sing one of the three famous revolutionary Communist party songs I could have some bread. My deepest desire was that I wanted to live until that was no longer possible. My death would be torturous for my wife and children, but at the same time I didn’t want to dirty my soul. But, in that environment human dignity has no strength. If you don’t sing these songs you will continue to be starved, and they will continue to torture you, so I sang.
When they used the same tactic though, pressuring me to write articles attacking Falun Gong, I didn’t do it. But, I did compromise by writing my statement saying the government didn’t kidnap and torture me and that they treated my family well. I did sign that document.
During these more than 50 days, more horrible evils were committed than I told here. Those evils were not even worthy of any historical records by any human governments. But those records will further enable us to see clearly that how much further the leaders of CCP are willing go in its evil crime against humanity in order to protect its illegal monopoly power! Those evils are so dirty and disgusting, that I don’t want to mention it at this time and perhaps will never mention it in the future. Every time when I was tortured, I was always repeatedly threatened that, if I spelled out later what had happened to me, I would be tortured again, but I was told, “This time it will happen in front of your wife and children.” The tall strong man that pulled my hair repeated this over and over during the days I was tortured. “Your death is sure if you share this with the outside world.”
This was repeated many times. These brutal, violent acts are not right. Those that did it, themselves, knew this clearly in their hearts.
Finally, I want to say a few words which won’t be liked by some folks. I want to remind those so-called global “good friends”, “good partners” called by the CCP that the increasing degree of brutality and coldness against the Chinese people by the CCP is the direct result of appeasement by both you and us (our own Chinese people).
Gao Zhisheng
Written on November 28, 2007 at my besieged home in Beijing
Authorized to be released to international community on February 9, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
India: A Lesson in Forgiveness
“The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.” --William Blake
Perhaps there is nothing as earth shattering or unfathomable in this world as the concept of forgiveness. It rails against our very nature and often times our heart seems to cry out in denial against it. Yet it is something as Christians we cannot escape. Jesus clearly tells us in Matthew 6 that if we do not forgive others, then our heavenly Father will not forgive us. As if that were not enough, in Matthew 18, He tells us that we have to forgive from our heart. How impossible a task if we try on our own strength! But yet, what glorious healing when Christ’s forgiveness flows through us.
An incredible story of forgiveness comes out of India in the story of Gladys Staines. Gladys is an Australian missionary who lived in India with her husband, Graham, and their three children. They lived and worked at the Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home in Orissa, working with people who were outcasts in that society. They had been there for over a decade when tragedy struck them. Graham had taken their two boys (10 and 6) to a nearby village to attend a religious camp meeting in support of the local pastors. Out of the 150 families in the village, 22 had come to Christ. The family spent the night in their jeep, but were attacked by a mob of angry villagers. The mob hemmed them inside the vehicle, busted out the windows, and beat at them with axes, sticks, and knives. They even placed bodyguards at the entrance to the huts in the village to prevent anyone from coming out to help them. After they finished attacking the family inside, the mob placed straw underneath the jeep and lit it on fire with Graham and his two sons still in it. By the time police arrived from another village, it was too late. Graham and his boys were dead. When Gladys found out what occurred and was telling her daughter, she told her that “We will forgive them.” And it was evident in their actions that they did. Gladys stayed on in India and continued to run the Leprosy Home. When she was asked how she could forgive, she simply replied that you have to forgive, forgiveness brings healing. Since the attack on her husband and sons, Gladys has been asked to speak at countless schools, churches, and public events around the world, sharing about the persecution in India and her message of forgiveness. Because of her message, she has received thousands of letters from people all over India who apologized for the attack against her family. What an incredible testimony that is to an entire nation! For us as Christians, it is an amazing encouragement to see living proof of being able to forgive from the heart. May God grant us the grace to respond in such a way when our lives are turned upside down by the actions of another. (Gladys’ story can be read from her own view in “Hearts of Fire” which is published by the Voice of the Martyrs.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When praying for India, there are some important facts to know about their culture and laws. India is a democratic nation that has constitutional freedoms of speech and religion and, generally speaking, the government works to protect those freedoms. India does not have an official state religion, but promotes the right to practice, preach, and propagate any religion. Religious communities are governed by their own personal laws, which means that the norm is for each religious community to govern themselves according to their own personal laws in family matters. This is a major obstacle for converts to Christianity since conversion of a faith is seen as a family matter. So even though the government supports freedom of religion, there is often intense pressure from within one’s own family and community. Many converts to Christianity face harassment, abuse, and threats on their life from family members and others in the community. There are seven Indian states that have anti-conversion laws and they are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. These laws impose prison terms and hefty fines against anyone who converts Indians by force, fraud or allurement. And their definitions of force and allurement are very broad, which causes problems for Christians who are trying to serve the sick and those in need. Under the laws, any gift or material benefit received by Christian converts can be considered an allurement to convert. These laws give support to militant groups and result in ongoing violence against Christians. Another thing to know about India is their caste based system. The Indian Constitution has outlawed caste-based discrimination, but it is still deeply entrenched in Indian society and continues to play a major role in the Indian society and politics. Until 1950, “The Untouchables” (Dalits) were for centuries regarded as the refuse of society. They worked in what were seen as unhealthy, disgusting or polluting jobs. In the past, the Dalits suffered from social segregation and restrictions in addition to extreme poverty. They were not allowed temple worship with others, nor water from the same sources. Persons of higher castes would not interact with them. If somehow a member of a higher caste came into physical or social contact with an untouchable, the member of the higher caste was defiled, and had to bathe thoroughly to purge him/herself of the impurity. The social discrimination developed even among the Dalits. Upper sub-castes among Dalits like dhobi, nai etc. would not interact with lower-order Bhangis, described as "outcasts even among outcasts". The 1950 law guarantees a certain number of Dalits in specific societal institutions, but Dalits who convert to other religions lose their Scheduled Caste status. This means that they often forfeit their jobs and livelihood when they convert from Hinduism. Currently in India, more than 70% of Christians are Dalits. (Most of this information has been compiled from Wikipedia and Voice of the Martyrs, please check out their websites for more information.)
When praying for India, remember these requests:
Pray that militant influences in the government will continue to decrease and that freedom of religion will be recognized throughout India.
Pray for protection for pastors, evangelists and other Christian workers as they share the Good News of Jesus.
Pray for that those who turn to Christ will find the means to have their needs met.
Pray that those who seek to hinder the work of the Church in India will see the love and grace of Jesus in the lives of Indian Christians.
India’s motto is “Truth alone Triumphs.” Pray that the people of India will come to know the ultimate Truth that can set them free from fear and superstitions (John 8:32).
Since 1990 more Christians have been martyred, raped, beaten, and threatened in India than in the entire history of Christianity in that country. Pray that God would move on behalf of His people and that the ‘gates of Hades will not overcome’ His church in India (Matt. 16:18b).
Pray that people in India would come to know and accept that in Christ all are equal in spite of their differences (There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.- Galatians 3:28).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India has been experiencing a recent wave of persecution in Orissa that started back in August of 2008. Go to the Voice of the Martyrs Canada link on this page and look at India under their countries report to learn about the attacks that have been going on for 5 months now. They have the article reports on the left side of the India page.
I have also found some videos to share about the persecution in India. I hope that by watching them, the persecution in India will go from being an abstract concept to a concrete reality for you. May it fuel your spirit and strengthen your prayers.
Graham Staines Video
Persecution of Christians in Orissa, India
Christian Persecution in Orissa, Update
5 Million Christians Worshipping in India
Grief Overtakes Orissa
Religious Violence in Orissa Explained
Perhaps there is nothing as earth shattering or unfathomable in this world as the concept of forgiveness. It rails against our very nature and often times our heart seems to cry out in denial against it. Yet it is something as Christians we cannot escape. Jesus clearly tells us in Matthew 6 that if we do not forgive others, then our heavenly Father will not forgive us. As if that were not enough, in Matthew 18, He tells us that we have to forgive from our heart. How impossible a task if we try on our own strength! But yet, what glorious healing when Christ’s forgiveness flows through us.
An incredible story of forgiveness comes out of India in the story of Gladys Staines. Gladys is an Australian missionary who lived in India with her husband, Graham, and their three children. They lived and worked at the Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home in Orissa, working with people who were outcasts in that society. They had been there for over a decade when tragedy struck them. Graham had taken their two boys (10 and 6) to a nearby village to attend a religious camp meeting in support of the local pastors. Out of the 150 families in the village, 22 had come to Christ. The family spent the night in their jeep, but were attacked by a mob of angry villagers. The mob hemmed them inside the vehicle, busted out the windows, and beat at them with axes, sticks, and knives. They even placed bodyguards at the entrance to the huts in the village to prevent anyone from coming out to help them. After they finished attacking the family inside, the mob placed straw underneath the jeep and lit it on fire with Graham and his two sons still in it. By the time police arrived from another village, it was too late. Graham and his boys were dead. When Gladys found out what occurred and was telling her daughter, she told her that “We will forgive them.” And it was evident in their actions that they did. Gladys stayed on in India and continued to run the Leprosy Home. When she was asked how she could forgive, she simply replied that you have to forgive, forgiveness brings healing. Since the attack on her husband and sons, Gladys has been asked to speak at countless schools, churches, and public events around the world, sharing about the persecution in India and her message of forgiveness. Because of her message, she has received thousands of letters from people all over India who apologized for the attack against her family. What an incredible testimony that is to an entire nation! For us as Christians, it is an amazing encouragement to see living proof of being able to forgive from the heart. May God grant us the grace to respond in such a way when our lives are turned upside down by the actions of another. (Gladys’ story can be read from her own view in “Hearts of Fire” which is published by the Voice of the Martyrs.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When praying for India, there are some important facts to know about their culture and laws. India is a democratic nation that has constitutional freedoms of speech and religion and, generally speaking, the government works to protect those freedoms. India does not have an official state religion, but promotes the right to practice, preach, and propagate any religion. Religious communities are governed by their own personal laws, which means that the norm is for each religious community to govern themselves according to their own personal laws in family matters. This is a major obstacle for converts to Christianity since conversion of a faith is seen as a family matter. So even though the government supports freedom of religion, there is often intense pressure from within one’s own family and community. Many converts to Christianity face harassment, abuse, and threats on their life from family members and others in the community. There are seven Indian states that have anti-conversion laws and they are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. These laws impose prison terms and hefty fines against anyone who converts Indians by force, fraud or allurement. And their definitions of force and allurement are very broad, which causes problems for Christians who are trying to serve the sick and those in need. Under the laws, any gift or material benefit received by Christian converts can be considered an allurement to convert. These laws give support to militant groups and result in ongoing violence against Christians. Another thing to know about India is their caste based system. The Indian Constitution has outlawed caste-based discrimination, but it is still deeply entrenched in Indian society and continues to play a major role in the Indian society and politics. Until 1950, “The Untouchables” (Dalits) were for centuries regarded as the refuse of society. They worked in what were seen as unhealthy, disgusting or polluting jobs. In the past, the Dalits suffered from social segregation and restrictions in addition to extreme poverty. They were not allowed temple worship with others, nor water from the same sources. Persons of higher castes would not interact with them. If somehow a member of a higher caste came into physical or social contact with an untouchable, the member of the higher caste was defiled, and had to bathe thoroughly to purge him/herself of the impurity. The social discrimination developed even among the Dalits. Upper sub-castes among Dalits like dhobi, nai etc. would not interact with lower-order Bhangis, described as "outcasts even among outcasts". The 1950 law guarantees a certain number of Dalits in specific societal institutions, but Dalits who convert to other religions lose their Scheduled Caste status. This means that they often forfeit their jobs and livelihood when they convert from Hinduism. Currently in India, more than 70% of Christians are Dalits. (Most of this information has been compiled from Wikipedia and Voice of the Martyrs, please check out their websites for more information.)
When praying for India, remember these requests:
Pray that militant influences in the government will continue to decrease and that freedom of religion will be recognized throughout India.
Pray for protection for pastors, evangelists and other Christian workers as they share the Good News of Jesus.
Pray for that those who turn to Christ will find the means to have their needs met.
Pray that those who seek to hinder the work of the Church in India will see the love and grace of Jesus in the lives of Indian Christians.
India’s motto is “Truth alone Triumphs.” Pray that the people of India will come to know the ultimate Truth that can set them free from fear and superstitions (John 8:32).
Since 1990 more Christians have been martyred, raped, beaten, and threatened in India than in the entire history of Christianity in that country. Pray that God would move on behalf of His people and that the ‘gates of Hades will not overcome’ His church in India (Matt. 16:18b).
Pray that people in India would come to know and accept that in Christ all are equal in spite of their differences (There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.- Galatians 3:28).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India has been experiencing a recent wave of persecution in Orissa that started back in August of 2008. Go to the Voice of the Martyrs Canada link on this page and look at India under their countries report to learn about the attacks that have been going on for 5 months now. They have the article reports on the left side of the India page.
I have also found some videos to share about the persecution in India. I hope that by watching them, the persecution in India will go from being an abstract concept to a concrete reality for you. May it fuel your spirit and strengthen your prayers.
Graham Staines Video
Persecution of Christians in Orissa, India
Christian Persecution in Orissa, Update
5 Million Christians Worshipping in India
Grief Overtakes Orissa
Religious Violence in Orissa Explained
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