Name: Cao Dong (曹东)
Gender: Male
Age: Unknown
Address: Unknown
Occupation: Former employee at a travel company in Beijing
Date of Most Recent Arrest: May 21, 2006
Most Recent Place of Detention: Tianshui Prison (天水监狱)
City: Tianshui
Province: Gansu
Persecution Suffered: Imprisonment, solitary confinement, denial of family visits

(Clearwisdom.net) Beijing practitioner Mr. Cao Dong was sentenced to five years in prison and has nearly completed his term. Sources stated that Mr. Cao was severely persecuted in prison, and his condition is of great concern.

Mr. Cao graduated from the Beijing Foreign Languages University, where he majored in French. His wife, Ms. Yang Xiaojin, was detained and persecuted for practicing Falun Gong, so he met with one of the vice presidents of the European Parliament, Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott, who was visiting China on May 21, 2006. Mr. Cao informed him about the severe persecution inflicted on his wife and other practitioners in China. Two hours after the meeting, Mr. Cao was arrested by officers from the Public Security Bureau. He was taken to Gansu Province three months later, where he was illegally sentenced to five years in prison. More information on his case can be found at:

http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2009/2/7/104607.html

Mr. Cao was placed in solitary confinement the moment he arrived at Tianshui Prison. His cell is located on the first floor of the Education Section. He is monitored 24 hours a day and is only allowed to leave the cell to use the restroom. Any attempts to communicate with him are prohibited. To prevent contact with other practitioners, the prison officials have segregated part of a restroom, which only Mr. Cao is allowed to use. He is monitored by two prisoners whenever he uses the restroom.

Ms. Yang was imprisoned in forced labor camps many times, and she was often harassed by the authorities. She passed away on October 1, 2009. More information on Ms. Yang can be found at:

http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2009/10/8/111400.html