Name: Liu Hongchao (刘洪超)
Gender: Male
Age: 59
Address: Aihui District, Heihe City, Heilongjiang
Occupation: Director of the IT Division, Heihe Branch, Heilongjiang Province Construction Bank
Date of Death: March 20, 2011
Date of Most Recent Arrest: March18, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Aihui Police Department (黑河市爱辉区公安分局)
City: Heihe
Province: Heilongjiang
Persecution Suffered: Illegal sentencing, imprisonment, fired from workplace, interrogation

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Liu Hongchao was the director of the IT Division of the Heihe Branch, Heilongjiang Province Construction Bank. He was illegally sentenced to three years in prison in 2001. After he was released, he was often harassed and threatened. His health kept deteriorating. Mr. Liu was interrogated for a whole day on March 18 or 19, 2011. He passed away two days later, on the afternoon of March 20, 2011.

Mr. Liu, about 59, was skilled in computer technology. Prior to practicing Falun Gong, he had a serious heart problem and was unable to work normally. He had been to many large domestic hospitals for treatment, but to no avail. He began practicing Falun Gong in July 1997 and recovered shortly thereafter. He was in good spirits as a result of his newfound health and worked hard every day.

Since the Communist regime started the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Liu's work unit and other authorities continuously harassed him in an attempt to force him to give up his belief. In order to stand up for Falun Gong with his personal testimony, Mr. Liu went to Beijing in 2001 to appeal. Xu Chongfeng and other officers from the Aihui Police Department handcuffed Mr. Liu and took him back to Heihe, and held him at the Heihe Detention Center.

Mr. Liu was sentenced to three years in prison by the Aihui District Court, and had been incarcerated at the Harbin No. 3 Prison. In the meantime, Mr. Liu was fired from the bank.

When Mr. Liu was released three years later, personnel from the Aihui District 610 Office and other organizations often harassed him. His wife, because of fear, monitored him and did not let him contact other practitioners. Mr. Liu could not practice Falun Gong freely, and had been living under pressure for a long time. As a result, his health deteriorated and he developed cancer.

In January 2011, officers from the Domestic Security Division of the Aihui Police Department went to Mr. Liu's home and took him to the police department to “assist with investigations.”

Parties involved in the persecution of Mr. Liu:
Diao Weidong, deputy secretary of the Heihe Political and Legal Affairs Committee: +86-456-8256990 (Office), +86-13304562333 (Cell)
Zhang Jinliang, head of the Heihe 610 Office: +86-456-8256993 (Office), +86-13009932462 (Cell)
Wang Liyan, director of the Aihui District Police Department: +86-456-8275201 (Office), +86-13359932567 (Cell)
Wu Wenhan, chief of the Domestic Security Division: +86-13384568806 (Cell)
Xu Chongfeng, officer of the Domestic Security Division: +86-13945711788 (Cell)