Yang Chen and Zhimin Cao

Yang CHEN was a computer engineer at a medical company in Hunan Province. In November 1999, Chen petitioned the National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong. He was then sentenced to four years in prison. During his imprisonment, Chen was severely beaten and tortured, including being force-fed with bamboo tubes and beaten with electric batons. 

Mr. Yang Chen’s wife, Zhimin CAO, worked for the human resources department at a state-owned car company. She was sentenced to three years in prison after she petitioned the National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration with her husband in November 1999. Cao and her family were left without any money, a house, and have been stripped of all social resources.

Arrest

• On October 27, 2020 at around 10:30 p.m., Mr. Chen and his wife, Cao, were arrested by Hunan Province and Changsha City police while studying Falun Gong teachings together with six other practitioners. Their homes were ransacked that evening. Mr. Chen was sent to the Second Detention Center in Changqiao, Changsha, but has been transferred to an unknown location. Ms. Cao was sent to the Fourth (Women’s) Detention Center in Changqiao, Changsha. 

Current Status

• LATEST: According to their daughter, Grace Fayuan Chen, Chen’s and Cao’s families have not been able to reach the couple at the detention centers since October 26, 2020. They learned about the arrest on Minghui.org.
• Urgent request for the immediate release of Yang Chen and Zhimin Cao. Requests can be sent to the following Changsha City Fourth Detention Center officials:
  • XIAO Meng, head of the Detention Center, +86-073184074820,  +86-073185470360, +86-18817157118.
  • LI Liangyuan, instructor, +86-073184074820, +86-073182925933, +86-13707319772.