(Minghui.org) A 56-year-old woman was found to have brain damage and heart problems after she was beaten by police following her arrest for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Zhang Liping of Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested on March 11, 2019, while distributing pamphlets about Falun Gong at a farmers' market.
Because she refused to reveal her name and home address, the police beat her and, against her will, took her fingerprints.
They slammed her head against the fingerprint scanner and pried open her fists to collect her fingerprints. One officer bent her fingers backward, while another held her arms and hair. Her hands kept sweating. They used so much force that she had difficulty breathing and talking and almost fainted.
Six officers then dragged her into a bathroom and forced to provide a urine sample. When she refused to sign the urine test consent form, they beat her again.
Despite her high blood pressure, the police took her to the local detention center. She was held for several days and then released bail on March 15 after her blood pressure went up to a dangerously high level of 260 mmHg.
Upon returning home, she continued to feel generally unwell. She had bruises and swellings on her face and a bump on her head. She also had difficulty sitting, standing, or even moving her legs due to her injuries.
Ms. Zhang also reported severe dizziness and swelling on the back of her head. She had ringing in her ears, as well.
After a thorough exam at the hospital, she was found to have sustained moderate brain damage with blood clots in her brain.
Her doctor also found she had myocardial ischemia and heart disease.
The doctor suggested more comprehensive monitoring and treatment of her conditions.
15 Years of Incarceration Before Latest Arrest
Ms. Zhang began to practice Falun Gong in 1997. She was arrested and given three years of forced labor for going to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong in 1999. She was arrested again shortly after being released and then give a term of 12 years. She lost her job as a landscape architect while she was imprisoned.
After she was released in 2014, she was arrested three times for handing out informational materials about Falun Gong in 2016, 2017, and 2018. She was held in police custody and released due to health issues each time.
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