Victim:

Mr. Lin Shenli, male, resident of Toronto, Canada

Location:

Chinese Consulate, Toronto, Canada

Description:

On December 22, 1999, my wife, Li Jinyu, and I went to Beijing to appeal to the government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. We were arrested and I was detained for 17 days. My wife, who is a Canadian citizen, was deported after 48 hours of detention.

On January 24, 2000, because I signed my name to an appeal letter asking the government stop the persecution of Falun Gong, policemen from the Yangpu Police Station arrested me and sentenced me to one and half years of forced labor. In the labor camp, I was forced to sit on a stool one foot high and one foot long, and measuring a half inch in width. For two years I was forced to sit on this stool each day, resulting in unbearable pain because my buttocks developed sores that festered very badly. The police also forced me to watch brainwashing videos and do hard labor for more than 12 hours a day. They also instigated inmates to beat me. Just before the forced labor term imposed upon me was to end, they extended my term by an additional 6 months without any reason. With the help of my wife and the Canadian government, I was able to go to Canada after I was released.

In early September 2003, I lost my passport while traveling. On December 16, 2003, I went to the Chinese Consulate in Toronto to apply for a new passport. Because she realized that I was a Falun Gong practitioner, the consulate officer didn't give me a receipt for my application as she would normally do. I went to the consulate on two occasions; however, the Chinese Consulate never mentioned whether they were processing a new passport for me nor did they give me a receipt for the application. During my last visit, the officer refused my inquiry about my passport. I told her that to withhold my passport just because I was a Falun Gong practitioner was not a good reason. Later, they called the police and alleged that I was causing trouble in the consulate. After I informed the policeman about the facts of the matter, he said I was legally entitled to get my passport. On January 27, 2004, the consulate personnel called me to tell me I could pick up my passport.