77-year-old Man in Custody Develops Hypertension, Impairing his Eyesight and Hearing
(Minghui.org) A 77-year-old man is in serious condition while being detained for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Zheng Jiageng, a retired senior engineer with the Guangzhou Pearl River Rubber Tyre Co. in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, was arrested on July 10, 2019, after the police accused him of using his phone as a hot spot to spread information about Falun Gong.
His high blood pressure became dangerously high after he was abused in Guangzhou First Detention Center. His hypertension has damaged his heart, eyesight, and hearing.
Mr. Zeng Jiageng
Ever since Mr. Zeng started to practice Falun Gong more than 20 years ago, he had been healthy. But only a month after his arrest last year, a guard from the detention center called his family and warned them of his severe hypertension and other health issues.
A physical examination in mid-September confirmed that Mr. Zeng had stage 4 hypertension with an enlarged heart. He also had failing valves in his heart and aorta and narrowing arteries in his neck.
The authorities in the detention center then monitored Mr. Zeng’s blood pressure twice a day. He was taken to a hospital three more times, and his systolic pressure remained as high as 200mmHg each time.
The high blood pressure has damaged Mr. Zeng’s vision and hearing. He can barely see out of his right eye and the vision in his left eye is blurry. He can’t hear much out of either ear and can no longer effectively communicate with his attorney.
Mr. Zeng shared a cell with over 20 people and had to lay on his side on the concrete floor when he slept. The floor was rinsed with water twice a week and was never dry. He had no access to hot water.
Mr. Zeng's case has been forwarded to Zhuhai District Court, and he is awaiting trial for his faith.
Related reports:
Eight Guangzhou Residents, Including Six in Their 70s and 80s, Arrested for Their Faith in Two Days
Retired Engineer Develops High Blood Pressure in Custody, Family Calls for His Release