(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhao Jianshe of Weifang City, Shandong Province has been on a hunger strike for 17 months to protest the persecution. His life is in great danger. Every day, he suffers brutal force-feedings and forced injections. The officials in charge of the jail have claimed that they will not release him even if he dies. We appeal to the many international human rights organizations and to all kind-hearted people to make note of Mr. Zhao's predicament.

Zhao Jianshe was formerly known as Zhao Yougang. Zhao's wife passed away in 1998, leaving him with a 2-month-old daughter. Since Zhao was arrested, his daughter and his elderly parents have had no one to take care of them, and they receive only 200 yuan (1) a month to pay for their living expenses.

Zhao Jianshe's 6-year-old daughter, Zhao Yuanming

The Nanjing Police Bureau and Wuxi Jail police attempted to tempt Zhao into giving up the practice of Falun Gong by exploiting his affection for his daughter and parents. The police visited his parents and daughter a few times, and made videotapes with which to brainwash Zhao, all in vain. Finally, they brought his aging parents and his daughter to the jail and tried to force his family members to assist in their attempts to brainwash him. He continued to resist their cynical efforts in the strongest terms.

During the past five years, because Mr. Zhao clarified the truth about Falun Gong, the authorities have persecuted him many times, and he was eventually forced to leave his home and flee from place to place. His daughter did not see her father for a long time. In June 2003, Nanjing Policemen illegally arrested Mr. Zhao, and on December 23, 2003, he was sentenced to prison for 9 years. When he was arrested, he immediately went on a hunger strike to resist the persecution.

After Mr. Zhao was arrested, it was six months before his family was notified as to his whereabouts by the authorities. His family was convinced that he was lost, and everyone in his family and all his good friends were worried about him. The court illegally sentenced him to 9 years, but they didn't notify his family. In fact, the family has yet to be officially notified as to the verdict of the court. Mr. Zhao has strongly requested to appeal to a higher court, but authorities have illegally denied him his right to appeal. The appeal letter he wrote when he was very weak and lying in bed was not passed on as required by law, but was taken from him, never to be seen again.

When Mr. Zhao was arrested, he had 5,000 yuan in cash and two cell phones in his possession. These were stolen by one policeman from Xuanwu District Police Station in Nanjing City, who kept the money and the phones as his own.

Mr. Zhao is 5 foot 10 inches tall. He has now become very weak and cannot stand, and his weight has dropped from 190 pounds to only 80 pounds as a result of the persecution and his subsequent hunger strike. Currently he is still being illegally incarcerated at the Wuxi Jail in Jiangsu Province.

Relevant phone numbers:

Wuxi Jail: 86-510-2625061 ext. 8237, Manager Wang Hongkai and Manager Xu

Wuxi Jail Hospital: 86-510-8915865

Wuxi City Jail Address: 121 Wuqiaoxi Road, Wuxi City, Postal Code: 214044

Notes:

(1) Yuan is Chinese currency. As the average wage in China is about 500 yuan per month, 200 yuan per month is a very small amount to live on.