(Minghui.org)
Name: Zhao JiyuanChinese Name: 赵吉元Gender: MaleAge: 71City: ShenyangProvince: LiaoningOccupation: Construction company workerDate of Death: July 4, 2025Date of Most Recent Arrest: July 10, 2019Most Recent Place of Detention: Jinzhou Prison
A resident of Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, passed away in Jinzhou City Prison on July 4, 2025, while serving a 7.5-year term for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Zhao Jiyuan, around 70 and a former employee of the Shenyang City Fourth Construction Company, was arrested on July 10, 2019 and stood trial three months later. After the hearing, the judge asked his son to persuade his father to ‘admit his guilt.’ The judge promised to give him only three years if he complied, and threatened to sentence him to seven years if he refused. Mr. Zhao insisted that he had broken no law by practicing Falun Gong and was sentenced to 7.5 years.
After Mr. Zhao was admitted to the Jinzhou City Prison, the guards denied his family visitation because he refused to renounce Falun Gong.
Due to abuses in custody, Mr. Zhao developed many physical conditions. He fell into critical condition around December 2022. News came in early June 2025 that he was on the verge of death, after having two heart attacks earlier this year. He died in the prison on July 4, 2025. He was 71.
When examining Mr. Zhao’s body, his family was heartbroken to see how emaciated he was. They also noticed scars on his ankle from wearing shackles and several bruises on his thigh; one of his nostrils was bigger than the other, likely due to the insertion of a feeding tube. The family didn’t see any other visible injuries and agreed to cremate his body.
Jinzhou City Prison is the largest prison in western Liaoning Province. It is under the administration of the Liaoning Judicial Bureau’s Prison Administration Office. The prison officials and guards have actively participated in the persecution of Falun Gong for the past 23 years. The Ministry of Justice awarded the prison the title of “Modern Civilized Prison” in 2018 and gave the prison “First-class Merit” on July 22, 2013.
Past Persecution
Mr. Zhao was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer in July 1998. He had trouble swallowing and even vomited after drinking water. He lost a lot of weight. One day in December 1998, he listened to audio tapes of the Falun Gong teachings given by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Miraculously he was able to eat and even do yard work the next day. He soon returned to work.
Mr. Zhao was amazed and started practicing Falun Gong. He told everyone he knew that Falun Gong saved his life.
Mr. Zhao twice went to Beijing after the persecution began in 1999, to appeal for his right to practice Falun Gong. He was arrested both times. In December 1999, he was sent to Longshan Labor Camp in Shenyang City, and was released in June 2000.
Mr. Zhao was arrested on February 27, 2001 for putting up banners which exposed the persecution of Falun Gong. He was initially sentenced to five years. The judge asked him if he intended to file an appeal. When he said yes, the judge added two more years to his term. He was taken to the Shenyang Second Prison on February 10, 2002 and jailed there until February 26, 2008.
Mr. Zhao’s family was entitled to the compensation given to people whose houses were demolished by the government for urban development. The local government withheld his compensation for years using his prison sentence as an excuse.
Related Reports:
Liaoning Man in Critical Condition Again While Serving 7.5 Years for Practicing Falun Gong
Liaoning Man Falls into Critical Condition After Being Tortured in Prison
Once Imprisoned for 7 Years, Liaoning Man Sentenced Again to 7.5 Years for His Faith
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