Mr. Guanggeng Tian is a 51 year old Falun Gong practitioner who was caught practicing his religion by the police in China. He arrived in Australia in 2000 and for the past 10 years has been trying to obtain a protection visa.
He was arrested in July and September 1999 by the Chinese police. In July 1999 the police questioned Mr. Tian and released him soon after but on September 1999 he was again arrested, detained and tortured by the police. Mr Tian was kicked and punched on the head and ribs by two policemen and his leg was broken by being hit several times with a metal chair which caused a comminute fracture.
He was placed in solitary confinement in his own cell at about 9 PM without being given any pain killer. At about 9 AM the following day, he was taken to hospital and an hour later he was placed under anaesthetic and his leg operated on. The effect of anaesthesia wore out after four hours and he again in pain. He was kept at the hospital for some 30 days and was released into the care of his family.
Mr Tian arrived in Australia on 16 September 2000. He sought the services of a Chinese migration agent who milked him placing him in an adverse legal/migration status. He applied for a protection visa at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and went to the Refugee Review Tribunal. On his behalf, the Chinese Migration Agent sought Ministerial Intervention but to no avail. So Mr. Tian went directly to the Federal Magistrates Court and represented himself but all his efforts were unsuccessful.
Other migration agents made similar attempts for Ministerial Intervention from 2009 through 2010 but they were all unsuccessful.
For several years now, Mr. Tian has been working as a heavy haulage truck driver, an area of skills shortage in Australia. He has supported himself and has been paying taxes regularly.
But things turned out for the worse. On 6 April 2011, Mr Tian was asked by the Department of Immigration to buy a plane ticket to China and to fly out on 17 April 2011. In desperation, he attempted suicide by taking 100 antidepressant tablets and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital.
Guanggeng Tian knows that he will be executed if he is forced to return to China.
Falun Gong is a system of beliefs and practices founded by Li Hongzhi in 1992. Falun Gong differs from other schools in its absence of daily rituals of worship. It was eventually outlawed by the People’s Republic of China. He was arrested because Mr. Tian was a known leader of Falun Gong,