(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Chen Yuanzeng, 59, lived in Paifang Village, Qingtang Township, Zhuanghe City in Liaoning Province. He began to practice Falun Gong in 1998.

Prior to that he suffered from liver cirrhosis ascites and was hospitalized. His medical bill mounted to over ten thousand yuan. Doctors could not find a cure, so they released him and told his family to prepare for his death. After he began to practice Falun Gong, he quickly regained his health.

After July 20, 1999, local agents from the Qingtang Police Station raided his home repeatedly. In 2001, Chen went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. After he returned, the local police forced him to pay 7,000 yuan as a "fine." In November 2002, the local police arrested and took him to the Zhuanghe Detention Center. A month later his health deteriorated and the liver cirrhosis ascites recurred. The police had to send him home, where he could read Dafa books and do the exercises. He quickly recovered.

On December 8, 2006 [according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar], Mr. Chen and fellow practitioner Du Xingqian were clarifying the truth at Xiaohefang Village in Qingtang Township. Someone informed the police who arrested both practitioners. The police took them to the Zhuanghe Detention Center. Mr. Chen's liver cirrhosis ascites recurred soon after. He became so weak that he could not walk. Their meals lacked both quality and quantity—one piece of cornbread and a bowl of turnip soup were all they were given. Mr. Chen was suffering from severe symptoms, experiencing severe pain in the liver and stomach. He asked the police for medical attention, but the prison doctor was unsympathetic because the overseas media publicized his participation in the persecution. This doctor had once force-fed practitioners with hot pepper powder. The doctor said, "I don't treat Falun Gong practitioners." Even in such a dire situation, Mr. Chen still refused to wear the prison uniform. The police told criminal inmate Niu Dapeng to beat Chen Yuanzeng as punishment for his defiance.

One month later Mr. Chen was sent to Dalian City Forced Labor Camp, directly into a strictly controlled team. The team head was officer Wang, who refused to let the inmates do laundry, and even washing their faces in the morning was tightly controlled. The sanitary conditions were so bad that the inmates' winter coats and blankets were full of lice. Suffering from poor health, Mr. Chen, already unable to walk, could not work, either. More than 20 people slept in a room that had only eight single beds. The room was so cramped that people could not move much. Mr. Chen suffered a broken rib. When he asked for medical parole, officer Wang said he didn't have the authority to approve the request and refused to help.

Later Mr. Chen was sent to Division Eight. Before his transfer the head of Division Eight came to review Mr. Chen's circumstances and found him in bad shape. He was reluctant to take responsibility for Mr. Chen. Three months later Wang told the head of Division Eight that Mr. Chen's health was OK and "Please take him to your division." After Mr. Chen was transferred to Division Eight he was locked in a small cell. Two criminal inmates took turns to monitor him around the clock. They also had him sit in a small foldable stool from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. He was told to remain seated, even during meals. In a few days Mr. Chen became very weak. He again could not walk, and his liver cirrhosis symptoms returned. He almost lost his eyesight and his teeth became loose.

Mr. Chen insisted that he should go to a hospital, but the guards said, "You have no problem, it won't hurt you!" After his repeated requests the guards realized that his health was rapidly deteriorating.

One day officer Han took 500 yuan from Mr. Chen's pocket and sent him for medical attention. Because the police did not want this persecution to be known, they did not send him to the designated hospital. Instead, they sent him to officer Han's school buddy's office. This doctor reviewed the X-ray film and said that he had not seen a patient like Mr. Chen for a long time. They knew that Mr. Chen's situation was extremely serious, but they still refused to let him see another doctor. Before they left the hospital, the doctor told him that he was all right, but that his liver was not so good, and he needed some rest. He also told Mr. Chen to ask his family for some money to buy nutritious food. The doctor did not give him any medicine. After this hospital visit, Mr. Chen had only 30 yuan left. When they returned to the labor camp the guards transferred him to a larger room.

Mr. Chen has now been detained for more than a year. Dalian Forced Labor Camp officials always refuse his family's request to visit him.

Fellow practitioner Du Xingqian was sent to the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp after being arrested at the same time. His present situation is unknown.