The Facts of the Persecution of Falun Gong -- July 30, 2008

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content


  • Police in Laishui County, Hebei Province Once Again Conduct Large Scale Arrests of Falun Gong Practitioners
  • Local government and police are given quotas of local practitioners to arrest,  totaling no less than 300 for the county as a whole.


    Police in Laishui County, Hebei Province Once Again Conduct Large Scale Arrests of Falun Gong Practitioners

    Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities in Laishui County, Hebei Province held a meeting. The officials involved in the meeting included those from the local 610 Office, police department, Procuratorate, court, and all responsible persons from towns, villages. In the name of the "protecting the Olympic Games,"  they also set a quota for Falun Gong practitioners to be arrested, which would be no less than 300 practitioners. Moreover, a quota was set for each of the towns, villages and communities. Every village was required to hire 30 people without fixed duties, who engaged in patrols, with red arm bands. Before this meeting, by using radio and TV stations, the CCP instigated the public to monitor and report Falun Gong practitioners.

    CCP authorities in Laishui County, Hebei Province conducted a large-scale arrest of Falun Gong practitioners all over the county on June 6, 2008, and it was reported that 12 of the Falun Gong practitioners had been illegally sent to a forced labor camp. On July 10, the CCP officials conducted another round of large-scale arrests of Falun Gong practitioners all over the county. Many Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and their homes were illegally searched.

    On July 10, 2008, Ms. Liu Hemin, a practitioner from Bancheng Village, Shiting Town, Laishui County, and Ms. Zhang Hongran, a practitioner from Beizhuang Village were arrested at home by town officials without any reason. When they arrested the practitioners, the officials showed no identification, nor did they give any reason for the arrests. They just took each practitioner into custody according to a list of names. They also stole money, property, including valuable items, TV receivers, etc., whatever they could take.

    At about 3:00 p.m. on July 10, Ms. Yuan Huifang, a new Falun Gong practitioner from Sanlipu Village, Laiyang Town, was arrested at her home. In the same village, Ms. Xin Xiumin, who had been previously arrested by the CCP agents, was taken into custody as well. Mr. Liu Hanyu, who was a temporary resident at Sanlipu Village, was also arrested. His wife, holding a several-month-old baby in her arms, had nowhere to appeal.

    At about 4:00 p.m. on July 10, a Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liu Xiuhong's home was ransacked. She managed to escape from the arrest. Her daughter's computer and cell phone were stolen by officials, and a picture of Teacher Li was taken away. At midnight, officers from Laishui Town Police Station broke into Ms. Liu Xiuhong's home again. Mr. Dong Jinqing and Ms. Liu Xiuhong's husband (a non-practitioner) were interrogated by police and severely beaten. The police beat Mr. Dong Jinqing's head with a special electric torch, and his head was immediately injured, causing extensive bleeding. He was then forcibly arrested and illegally detained at Laishui Town Police Station. Ms. Liu Xiuhong's daughter was beaten black and blue on her arms by the police because she tried to prevent the police from taking away her father.

    Additionally, many other practitioners were arrested or forced to leave home to avoid arrest. Currently all Falun Gong practitioners who have been arrested in Laishui County are being detained at the County Detention Center.