Ms. Yang Yongping, 45, is a distinguished associate professor at the College of Medicine at Jiamusi University in Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province. In June 2000, two security guards, Wang Ming and Wang Yucheng from Jiamusi University, arrested Ms. Yang at her home because she openly told people how she had benefited from practicing Falun Gong and about the persecution of practitioners. She was detained at the Xianyan Police Station for 15 days. As a result of her imprisonment she became gravely ill. Afraid of her death in their custody, they released her.

In January 2001, the Disciplinary Committee of Jiamusi University fired her from her position as Director of Research and Development and reported her to the local 610[1] Office for talking openly about Falun Gong.

On April 11, 2002 at around 8:00 p.m. police from the Xinghua Police Station and the Xiangyang Police Department broke into Ms. Yang’s home. They ransacked Ms. Yang’s entire house, arrested her and later detained her in the Jiamusi Detention Center.

On June 4, 2002, the Xiangyang District Court held a secret trial and sentenced Ms. Yang to three years in prison. In September 2002, police transferred her from the Jiamusi Detention Center to the Harbin Women’s Prison, where she suffered severe torture.