Survivor's story

He Zhili was an exemplary citizen in China. He lived with his wife, worked as an engineer and practiced Falun Gong . When the government began persecuting Falun Gong practitioners he decided to leave his beloved country. He and his wife applied for Canadian visa as they knew that in Canada they will be able to  practice Falun Gong freely. He’s wife was upset about the ongoing propaganda against Falun Gong practitioners and with other practitioners, went to protest against the defamation. He went to look for her and was arrested for the first time. After his release, he printed thousands of letters protesting the government ban on Falun Gong and sent them to people he knew, including his work colleagues. His intention was to convince them that Falun Gong is good.

He was illegally arrested and detained for over  three years. He was treated as a criminal because his actions were considered a crime. In jail, he was tortured through sleep deprivation and freezing conditions. He was forced to sleep naked in the cold and often was hosed down with cold water. When he became sick, he was not able to receive medical treatment and as a result, he almost died and went into a coma as he could not breath.

At the same time, his wife received their Canadian visas. She left China and began a campaign in Canada to free him from the Chinese jail. Upon his release, he arrived in Canada where he was received with an emotional welcoming reception. Today, He is suing the Chinese former General Secretary, Jiang Zemin, and four other high-ranking officials, requesting 20 million Canadian dollars in compensation for his torture and suffering.

He hopes that a succesful law suit will bring an end to the persecution of other Falun Gong practitioners in China.