Names: Yang Chen and Zhimin Cao
Country/Area of Origin: Changsha City, Hunan Province, China
Background: : Yang Chen, male, 51 years old (year of birth: 1969),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 practitioners. 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, 47 years old (year of birth: 1974),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 November1999. Cao and her family were left without any money, a house, and have been stripped of all social resources. Their 16-year-old daughter currently resides in New York.
Reason for Arrest:
On October 27, 2020 at around 10:30 p.m., Mr. Chen and his Mrs. 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.
Latest Updates:
- April 2021: 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. In April 2021, it was reported that they are likely to be prosecuted and sentenced with prison terms.
Picture: Zhimin Cao with her daughter