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Falun Gong Practitioner Mr. Li Wenjun on Hunger Strike for Over Four Months, Labor Camp Authorities Refuse to Release Him

Dec. 13, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Wenjun from Jilin City is being held at the Yinmahe Forced Labor Camp in Jiutai. He went on a hunger strike on July 13, 2005, which has lasted more than four months. His parents visited him many times at the labor camp and requested his release, but the labor camp authorities only made up excuses and refused to release him.

On November 3, 2005, Li Wenjun's parents again went to the Yinmahe Labor Camp and asked for Li Wenjun to be released. Guard Liu said, "We don't have the authority to release him. He is on a hunger strike, so we definitely can't let him go." He also told Li Wenjun's parents to "reform" their son. Li Wenjun's parents saw that his face was pallid and felt his hands were cold; he walked slowly.

One week later, on November 10, Li Wenjun's parents again went to the labor camp. Zhen Hailing, Director of the Administration Section said, "Why are you here again? This labor camp is operating under isolated administration; we don't allow outside visits." The parents asked to meet with Li Wenjun. Zhen Hailing said, "I don't have the right to answer that request; the head of the labor camp is not here today." Li Wenjun's parents couldn't find the head of the labor camp and left a letter for him asking the authorities to take Li Wenjun for a physical examination.

On November 22, Li Wenjun's parents went to the labor camp again and asked for his release. Guo, director of the labor camp claimed that Li Wenjun was not cooperating with the "reform" and the "administrative polices" (that are in fact persecution policies), so he would not be released. The authorities denied his parents' request to meet with him.

On November 28, Li Wenjun's parents went to the labor camp once more and spoke with Liu, another labor camp director, and asked to take Li Wenjun home. Liu said, "He is still holding a hunger strike and is not cooperating with our administration. We can only extend his term and cannot release him." Guard Zhen said, "We can't let you see him. Each time after you meet with him he becomes more determined; we are now working on him and he is behaving much better than before. He has been on a hunger strike for 180 days already. We extend his term by one day for each day of hunger strike. Now it's almost the end of the year, and we are discussing whether to extend his term any further. If he agrees to eat, we won't extend his sentence."

Li Wenjun's mother asked Liu if he had read the letter she wrote and Liu replied that he had. The mother asked, "Did you take Li Wenjun to have a physical examination?" Liu said no. Guard Zhen said, "We can't take him to an examination just because his family says so; if you want us to do that, you have to pay for it." Li Wenjun's mother said, "We already gave you 1,000 yuan, does that cover only a one-time examination? Liu told us they didn't take him to get an exam, but why do we have to pay more?" Liu replied that guard Zhen did not know about the payment. Li Wenjun's father said, "He is being held here; you should take responsibility for anything that happens to him. Why are you asking us for money?" Liu said, "We'll talk about it and get back to you."

After they discussed the issue, guard Zhen said to Li Wenjun's parents, "You can meet with him, but you are not allowed to mention Falun Gong. If you do, the meeting will be terminated immediately."

After Li Wenjun's parents went to the meeting room, they talked to Li Wenjun on the telephone across the glass partition. There were guards on both sides watching Li Wenjun and his parents. Li Wenjun's mother asked him, "Are you still on a hunger strike?" Li Wenjun answered, "Yes. They handcuff me and make me sit on a small stool each day from 5:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. I sleep very little." The guard snatched the phone from Li Wenjun's hand and spoke into the phone, "Li Wenjun threw himself against the floor, that's why we handcuffed him." Li Wenjun told his parents that he knew what to do and no one could manipulate him. He asked his parents not to worry about him.

Two days later, on November 30, Li Wenjun's parents went to the labor camp again and asked Guo, head of the labor camp to release Li Wenjun. Guo said, "That's impossible. There are conditions if we are to release him." His parents said, "Li Wenjun is being wronged. There is no way for us to appeal for him; all the other agencies tell us that because he is held at a labor camp, only the labor camp authorities can make the decision." They asked the labor camp not to handcuff Li Wenjun and not to force him to sit on a stool. Guo said, "We'll think about it. We'll give him three days [for him to accept "reform"]. If he persists, we have other ways to deal with him."

Right now, Li Wenjun is in a very difficult situation at the Yinmahe Forced Labor Camp. He is extremely weak and emaciated. He can hardly speak and is being force-fed twice a day.

On March 16, 2004, officers from Weichang Police Station from the Changyi Police Department in Jilin City illegally arrested and savagely beat Li Wenjun. On April 16, 2004, the officer from that station fabricated charges and sentenced Li Wenjun to three years of forced labor. They sent him to the Yinmahe Forced Labor Camp. During this period, Li Wenjun held several hunger strikes and was physically brutalized. Li Wenjun's parents went to almost all of the relevant government agencies in Jilin City to seek justice for their son, yet these agencies gave them the run-around and his parents had no way to appeal for Li Wenjun.

Anguished and worried, Li Wenjun's parents went to the labor camp more than 20 times to visit Li Wenjun. The guards didn't allow them to visit, claiming that Li Wenjun was not cooperating with the administration. After information about the persecution of Li Wenjun was exposed on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website, international organizations and the media paid attention to his plight. Many people, including Falun Gong practitioners living abroad, phoned the labor camp and confronted the guards for their crimes. Despite the pressure, the labor camp authorities still refuse to release Li Wenjun.