Former Ph.D Candidate Li Zhigang Arrested 5th Time for His Faith

Based on an original report from Minghui

Around 10pm on October 27, 2020, Mr. Li Zhigang and several Falun Gong practitioners were reading Falun Gong teachings together at his home in Changsha City, Hunan Province. Unbeknownst, as they opened the door and prepared to leave, over 20 positioned police officers had been waiting to barge in. 

The police then arrested all the practitioners and ransacked Li’s apartment, leaving his mother alone at home. She was told her son would be under “residential surveillance” at an undisclosed location. It was only three months later, on February 5, 2021, that she was notified her son had been transferred to Changsha City Detention Center and officially arrested. 

It was reported that Li was subjected to various tortures during his “residential surveillance.” He was very weak when being transferred to Changsha City Detention Center.

Past Persecution

Li was originally a Ph.D candidate of the National University of Defense Technology. When he was about to graduate, the Chinese Communist Party launched the persecution against Falun Gong, a spiritual and meditation discipline, in July 1999. He was forced to drop out because of his faith. Since then, his path was a rocky one.

Prior to his latest detention, Li has been arrested and detained four times and each time he was subjected to brutal torture.

His first arrest was on April 1, 2000 when he participated in an experience-sharing conference in Changsha City. He was given 18 months at the Guangzhou Military Forced Labor Camp. 

Then, on August 21, 2002, the university called him and asked him to come over due to an emergency. But as soon as he arrived at the university, he was arrested. After five months of detention, on January 19, 2003, he was officially arrested for “participating in an illegal religion to undermine law enforcement.” Six months later on September 11, he was sentenced to five years in prison by the military court and sent to the Chenzhou Military Prison in the Guangzhou Military Region. 

Despite this, Li did not give up his faith. Instead, he continued exposing the brutal persecution and telling people the truth about Falun Gong.

On April 17, 2010, he was arrested again for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. After 15 days of detention, he was given another two years of forced labor. He was later released on bail because of his poor health on September 29, 2010.

Li’s fourth arrest was on August 19, 2011 when he and his mother were walking on the street. He was taken to the Laodaohe brainwashing center on the same night.

After 2012, Li Zhigang had a relatively stable life. He left his computer research work and used his academic strength to run a tutoring program in his home to support his family.

In October 2020, however, Li was arrested again and is now facing further prosecution.

Original article: https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2021/3/8/191310.html