ICC Note
This is the testimony of a persecuted Christian in China . While some of it may be difficult to understand as it is a translation, this is a poignant look at the sufferings Christians suffer in China , and around the world.
Testimony of sister Li Qiong
China Aid Association (02/27/06)
To read, click here: Testimony of sister Li Qiong
I was born in 1973 and am 31. Im from Chongqing . I am a full time worker in the church and I now live in Hubei and I joined in 1992. In 1992, I first met Gong Sheng Liang in Chongqing at a communications meeting with 70 or 80 people and I didnt talk to him. From 1992-1995 I was in Chongqing then I moved to Jian Ge, Szechuan from 1995-98. Then from 1998-99 I was in Zhongxiang, 1999-2001 I was in Wuhan . In 1995, October, I met Pastor Gong for the second time but didnt talk to him at a church workers retreat. 1998 January I saw him at another retreat but didnt talk to him. I never talked to him. In 1993 September I was arrested in Chongqing by the PSB during the Yan Da (Strike Hard) campaign and I was forced to go study for 3 days. I was just arrested for being a Christian, because I was at a Christians house, they didnt specifically ask about the SCC.
I was arrested on August 8, 2001 with Pastor Gong Sheng Liang. That day was the first day I met him. At lunchtime Brother Xu Hu Min, Pastor Gong and I came from Xiang Huan to Jingmen to participate in a coworkers retreat. We were arrested at 8 pm while walking to another believers house. More than 10 Jingmen PSB arrested us. They were wearing plainsclothes and they started beating Cao Hong Mei (who had joined us) and the rest of us and they didnt show us any warrant or any ID.
They put us in Jingmen Detention Center and they asked for my name and address. And two men started to kick me and punch me on my mouth and head and my chest and I lost consciousness. This lasted for half an hour. When I awoke there was a doctor and a policeman said This is a police doctor. Then they gave me an injection. Then they stopped beating me and asked me information about myself again. At 11 pm, Zhong Xiang Gong An Ju came and took a lot of us, including Pastor G. who was shackled and handcuffed and we were taken to Zhong Xiang. Then on August 11, Zhong Xiang Interrogation team of six people began to beat me and they said if you believe in Daoism or Buddhism, we wouldnt beat you, but if you follow Gong Sheng Liang, we will beat you to death. You are from far away, if you throw you into the Hang Jiang River no one will know. They said you were with Gong Sheng Liang, Did you give yourself to the teacher. I said no. They said everyone has to give themselves to the teacher first, I dont believe that you didnt. Were going to find out. They started to apply the electric baton to my chest and one of the policeman put his hand inside my shirt and started to touch me and pinch me for more than 10 minutes. They ripped my clothes and started to pull my hair out and throw it on my face and kick me. At the end I signed something but I didnt know what, because I was beaten unconscious but they would wake me up by throwing water on me. They rolled up part of the paper and only let me see the place where I needed to sign. Liu Cheng Zhen (the supervisor) made me put my fingerprint on the paper. Ive never read the paper. The policemen said Gong is about to die, he cant live much longer. People from the procuratorate never came to see me. I never went to a trial. On September 30, I was sentenced to 3 years of reeducation through labor for disturbing social order. I went to Shayang Reeducation Through Labor Camp. December 4, 2003 I was released. I was never allowed to contact a lawyer or my family. I asked them if I could call my family and they said you are not allowed to, because you have not admitted your crime of being a member of a cult. My health is worse than before. My head is not like before. My head hurt for so long. I couldnt wash my hair because my scalp hurt so much.
