(Minghui.org) A 63-year-old native of Baishan City, Jilin Province, was recently arrested at his residence in Heze City, Shandong Province, for his faith in Falun Gong.

Over ten officers from the Heze City Police Department broke into Mr. Chi Minxiang’s home around 10 p.m. on June 1, 2026. They confiscated his Falun Gong books, informational materials, computer, and printer. He was admitted to the detention center that night and has been detained since.

Mr. Chi, a former employee of the Baishan City Disease Control and Prevention Center, took up Falun Gong in August 1997. Many of his chronic illnesses, including chronic atrophic gastritis and sinusitis, soon disappeared. After the Chinese Communist Party ordered the persecution in 1999, he remained firm in his faith and has been repeatedly targeted.

Two Earlier Labor Camp Terms Totaling 4.5 Years

Shortly after the persecution started, Mr. Chi went to Beijing to appeal for the right to freedom of belief. He was arrested and escorted back to Baishan. An officer surnamed Jiang hit him with a metal chain and verbally abused him.

Mr. Chi returned to Beijing on December 29, 1999, to appeal again. He was arrested and given a two-year term at the Baishan City Forced Labor Camp. A guard surnamed Zhang beat him for doing the Falun Gong exercises. He was forced to do hard labor, including building demolition and road construction.

Mr. Chi went to Beijing a third time to appeal on April 14, 2002. He was held in a damp basement in Beijing for 37 days and then taken back to Baishan. After another 37 days at the Baishan City Detention Center, he was transferred to the Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp to serve a 2.5-year term.

As Mr. Chi refused to renounce Falun Gong, three guards once beat him for over half an hour. He was handcuffed, shocked with electric batons, slapped in the face, and stomped on his toes.

The guards deprived Mr. Chi of sleep and denied his restroom use. He was also forced to sit on a small stool motionless for hours on end and do hard labor until midnight without pay. His term was extended by 25 days.

Forced to Live Away from Home

Mr. Chi was arrested at work on May 25, 2005, and taken to a brainwashing center. He suffered severe injuries on the head after being beaten by the police. After getting a few stitches, he was transferred to the Baishan City Detention Center, and was denied admission after he was found to have severe pulmonary tuberculosis. He was then released.

Upon returning home, he was shocked to see everything turned upside down. All of his Falun Gong books and informational materials were confiscated. To avoid further persecution, he was forced to live away from home.

Pressured by the police, the Baishan City Disease Control and Prevention Center fired him.

Mr. Chi was arrested at his brother’s home on April 19, 2007, and taken to the police department for interrogation. The police released him in the evening and ordered him to come back the next morning. He was forced to go into hiding again.

Third Labor Camp Term (21 Months)

Mr. Chi was arrested on December 5, 2007, after being reported by two elementary school students for talking to them about Falun Gong. He was taken to the Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp in early January 2008 to serve a 21-month term. He was released on September 15, 2009, only to be arrested days later and taken to the Baishan City Brainwashing Center.

Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Mr. Chi was arrested again on September 12, 2016. He held a hunger strike while being detained at the Baishan City Lockup. He fell into critical condition and was taken to the hospital for resuscitation. He was released on September 28 that year, only to be taken back into custody at the Baishan City Detention Center the next day.

The Hunjiang District Court sentenced Mr. Chi to five years with a 5,000-yuan fine on October 30, 2017. He appealed, but the Baishan City Intermediate Court ruled to uphold his original verdict on May 24, 2018.

Mr. Chi was admitted to the Gongzhuling Prison on May 26, 2018. He was subjected to a variety of torture methods, including beating, long hours of standing, starvation, sleep deprivation, electric shocks, tying up, freezing, and forced labor.

Torture reenactment: being tied up

Related Report:

Four Jilin Residents Sentenced to Prison for Their Faith