(Minghui) Ms. Yang Xiaoguang, 49, lives in Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia. She recovered from many of her ailments shortly after she started to practice Falun Gong in January 1999.

After the persecution began, she was arrested numerous times and held in a brainwashing center, forced labor camp, and a detention center, where she was tortured and psychologically abused in the authorities' attempts to force her to renounce Falun Gong.

On June 22, 2015, she filed a criminal case against Jiang Zemin, the former Communist Party leader who initiated the brutal campaign against Falun Gong.

Below are excerpts from her criminal complaint submitted to the Supreme People's Court:

Enormous Benefits from Practicing Falun Gong

I used to have all kinds of health problems: gastritis, hypoglycemia, gynecological issues, and heart disease. My heart problem prevented me from working, and I was on temporary leave to seek treatment. My family was worried to death about my health, but nothing seemed to help.

There was a Falun Gong exercise site near my home, and I began to do the exercises there in January of 1999. Shortly after that, my heart problem disappeared. I went to do the exercises twice a day, and within a few months, all my other ailments were gone as well.

I went back to work. My world view had changed. I had confidence once again, my heart was purified, my morality improved, and I was happy and full of energy. Happiness returned to my home.

Falun Gong teaches people to live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and always to be considerate of others. I no longer fought for personal gain, and I began taking on more responsibility in caring for my elderly parents. I also treated my siblings with kindness. Whenever a conflict surfaced, I would look for my own shortcomings first and forgive others for any mistakes.

Persecuted for My Belief

On July 22, 1999, when I went to the group exercise site, the police arrested me and took me to the Songshan District No. 2 Police Station. There were many Falun Gong practitioners already there. We weren’t given any water despite the hot weather. We were released late that night.

In March of 2000, I went to Changqing Park to do the exercises and was arrested again and held in the Songshan District No. 1 Police Station. I was interrogated and transferred to Chifeng Detention center for one month. When I was interrogated again, a policeman slapped my face over 20 times. I was so dizzy afterward that I almost passed out. I was released a month later after paying a 3000-yuan “fine.”

In April of 2000, the police broke into my home and confiscated all my Faun Gong books.

In May of 2000, someone knocked on my door and said he was from the water company. But when I opened it, officers from Songshan Police Station took me away again. I was held close to 50 days in a detention center and forced to do labor. I was then sent to a brainwashing center for another seven days. I was slapped in the face, kicked and beaten, force-fed, and hung up for long periods of time.

Torture demonstration: Hanging

In July of 2000, I was arrested again at home by officers from the Songshan No. 1 Police Station. They held me in Chifeng Detention Center for 9 months. I was brutally force-fed when I went on a hunger strike. I was hung up for over 20 days, with my feet barely touching the ground.

In July of 2001, I was once again deceived into opening the door by police officers. I was held in Mujiayingzi Detention Center and then put under house arrest for one year instead of being sent to the forced labor camp. I was forced to pay 1,000 yuan as a “security deposit.” From that point on, I was monitored closely by local police and personnel from the 610 Office. My family and I suffered enormous stress.

In October of 2005, police officers broke into my home through an open window. They did not have a warrant or credentials, but they took me to another brainwashing center and held me for 40 days. I was forced to watch propaganda videos attacking Falun Gong. I had a nervous breakdown.

I was illegally arrested, detained, held in brainwashing centers, and put under house arrest—all for my belief. I was not allowed to see a lawyer and was deprived of my basic rights.

Background

In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.

The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners during the past 17 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.

Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.

Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.