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From Russian of PRIMA article on Zhang Hongbao
Zhonggong leader allegedly tortured in American prison
HONG KONG.
The administration of an American prison on the island of Guam in the Pacific
Ocean decided on December 14 to transfer Zhang Hongbao, leader of the Zhonggong
religious movement who has received political asylum in the United States to the
section for criminals, the Hong Kong Information Center for Human Rights and
Democracy reported on December 14.
The Hong Kong center has information that Zhang Hongbao has declared a hunger
strike to protest his detainment in prison. The center further reports that
Zhang Hongbao was beaten by a guard and injured in the eye.
Zhang Hongbao fled the People's Republic of China (PRC) to Guam, which is under
U.S. jurisdiction, in February of this year. The embassy of the PRC in the
United States announced in July of this year that Zhang Hongbao was evading
criminal persecution for raping three Zhonggong followers in 1990 and 1994.
Chinese officials have used such accusations to compromise political opponents
previously.
In spite of the fact that Zhang Hongbao was granted the status of Having the
right to asylum to escape torture by an American court on September 21, he
remains in prison. The Hong Kong human rights activists stated that "it is
completely unnecessary for the personal safety of Zhang Hongbao to hold him in a
prison for criminals.
Much less is it Necessary to subject him to torture and inhumane treatment for
that purpose."
Zhang Hongbao, a former party worker, developed Zhonggong, a religious practice
combining Qi gong breathing exercises and the dualistic Taoist-inspired Kyilin
philosophy, in 1987. The movement has about 38 million followers in China.
According to the Hong Kong center, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of the
PRC issued a warrant for the arrest of Zhang Hongbao in 1996. About 3000
Zhonggong centers have been closed and 600 leaders in the movement arrested.
According to an MPS directive obtained by the Hong Kong center, Chinese
authorities have sent agent abroad to arrest and return the Zhonggong
leader to China, or else kill him.