Gao Rongrong


Gao Rongrong was an accountant at an art college in Shenyang, China. She was dismissed in 1999 for practicing Falun Gong. Gao was reportedly sent to the Longshan Forced Labor Camp in July 2003.
Gao was allegedly tortured for six to seven hours. It was claimed that electric shock batons had been used on her face and neck. Gao tried to escape. She jumped from a second-floor window and was taken to a hospital because of multiple fractures. On 5 October 2004, Gao escaped from the hospital. She was re-apprehended by police on 6 March 2005. Gao died on 16 June 2005 while in custody. She was 37.
In 2005, Amnesty International called on the Chinese authorities to launch a full investigation into her death including allegations that she was tortured.

Media coverage

In 2012 Ethan Gutmann explained there is a long-standing taboo in the journalism community about Falun Gong. "To touch this issue is the Third Rail of journalism. If you touch it—if you are in Beijing, if you are based in China—you will not be given access to top leaders anymore."