Location:
1. National University of Defense Technology, Changsha City, Hunan Province
2. Forced Labor Brigade of Guangzhou Army District
3. Detention Center of the Beijing Army District, Beijing
4. Military Prison of Chenzhou City, Hunan Province

Description:
On April 1, 2000, Dr. Li Zhigang was arrested in Changsha City, while he was at a meeting with other Falun Gong practitioners. He was detained in prison for 41 days and sentenced to 18 months of forced labor in the Forced Labor Brigade of Guangzhou Army District. Dr. Li was frequently beaten and verbally abused by the camp guards and other prisoners. He was repeatedly forced to persist under a burning sun, and to be drenched with heavy rain. He was released in July 2001.

On August 21, 2002, officials from the National University of Defense Technology called Dr. Li at his home, and asked him to immediately go to the university. When he went there, he was detained. That night, local police searched his home and confiscated his personal belongings, including his computer and printer. The police and university officials interrogated him and deprived him of sleep. When he closed his eyes, he was severely beaten and kicked. Dr. Li soon started a hunger strike to protest his wrongful detention and ill treatment. The policemen would grip his hair and beat his head with plastic bottles filled with water. After the first few days of his hunger strike, Dr. Li was in danger of losing his life.

On January 19, 2003, Dr. Lin was arrested and was sent to the Military Detention Center of the General Political Department of the Chinese Army. Later, he was transferred to the Detention Center of the Beijing Army District. In late August, Dr. Li ended up being tortured and interrogated day and night, and was repeatedly forced to watch videos slandering Falun Gong. When he refused to do watch the videos, he was beaten severely. As a result, Dr. Li had injuries which covered his whole body. He was also locked in an iron cage, where he was not able to stand up or squat. On September 11, 2003, Dr. Li was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Dr. Li Zhigang is currently detained at the Military Prison of Chenzhou City in Hunan Province. He has been forced to do extremely heavy work, beyond his physical capacity. At night he has been locked inside an iron cage. Prison officials have refused to allow his family to visit him, simply because Dr. Li has refused to renounce Falun Gong. Recently, someone released from prison informed Dr. Li's family that Dr. Li's life is in immediate danger, since he is experiencing severe torture and persecution in the labor camp.

We are very concerned about Dr. Li's life, and hereby request an urgent action by the United Nations to safeguard his life.