(Minghui.org) Ms. Wang Sufang, who is being held in the Nangou Detention Center, was arrested on the afternoon of December 5, 2013, for distributing Falun Gong calendars on an overpass in Fushun City.
Her family hired an attorney from Beijing. However, the attorney was detained for nearly three hours in the Fuming Police Station and beaten by police officer Guo Jinshi.
Ms. Wang, 64, was formerly a senior officer in the Fushun City Police Department.
Ms. Wang told her attorney that she was reported to the police by two security guards and arrested by officer Xie Ang from the Fuming Police Station.
Attorney's Account
On December 27, 2013, after meeting my client, I entered the Fuming Police Station at 2:15 p.m. Through the public phone on the first floor, I was able to open a security gate and arrive at the second floor. In Room 215, I saw Xie Ang, who is in charge of the case. Officer Wang Yanwen, who was in plainclothes, sat across from Xie Ang.
I told them that I was the attorney hired by Ms. Wang's family and had come to get more information. Xie Ang was a little impatient but still answered my questions. I told them that Ms. Wang Sufang did not break any law. He asked me the purpose of my visit. I told him that I came to get more information and hoped that the police would dismiss the case. Xie Ang raised his eyebrow and said, “Wow, you are ambitious. Do you think it's so easy to dismiss a case? Show me your ID first.”
I told him that he had to show his police card before checking mine, since he was executing the law. After Xie Ang showed me his police ID, I showed him my attorney card. He said my card was fake and wanted to check my ID. I told him that I was not a criminal suspect and he had no right to check my ID. I noted that my ID number was on my attorney card. He had to give up. Finally he wanted to see the power of attorney. I showed him, and he grabbed it away. I told him that he could verify it.
When Xie was checking the signature, officer Guo Jinshi, who had been standing nearby, videorecorded me with his iPhone. I told him that it was fine to record me, but he needed to use the official video camera. He ignored me, so I turned my back to him. Sometimes I blocked his phone with my hand without touching his phone.
-Four to One
Suddenly, he kicked me. I was startled since I did not expect that the police would attack an attorney. Before I could protect myself, Xie Ang, Wang Yanwen, and a third officer who had just arrived surrounded me. I was kicked several more times until I fell into a chair. They kicked me a total of five or six times.
Facing four policemen at the same time, I was not able to fight back to defend myself. If I had, I would have been detained. I was helpless. Anyone observing this would have regarded them as hoodlums instead of police officers.
-Given the Runaround
Two officers from next door came over, probably because they heard the noise. They were director Chen Wei and deputy director Zhao Wei. They dragged Guo Jinshi and the others away and asked me to show my attorney card. After the two directors showed their police cards, I showed them my attorney card. I told them that I would sue them in the procuratorate for attacking an attorney. Then I quickly left.
On the first floor of the Fuming Police Station, I dialed 110 for police, but no one answered the phone. Then I dialed the public emergency phone number shown on the wall. A guard in a window next to me answered the phone. He told me that I could talk to their director upstairs. I told him that the police upstairs had beaten me and the directors were aware of it.
-Dragged Upstairs, Briefcase Taken
I started to take pictures of the police officers shown on the bulletin board. The guard immediately reported to upstairs. Three or four people came down and grabbed my briefcase, dragging me upstairs.
I was taken back to Room 215. I was shocked that they took away my briefcase. I had a little difficulty breathing. Fortunately I wore thick winter clothes, otherwise I would have been injured. They searched my briefcase for my personal information and found the phone number of where I worked using the service of dialing 114.
At first I was not even allowed to use the bathroom. Xie Ang asked how the family got in touch with me since I came from Beijing. He asked if the signature was one of Wang Sufang's family members' and what did the person look like. I asked if he was interrogating me. He said he was just chatting.
Then I refused to “chat” with him. He said that he wondered if I was indeed an attorney and refused to return my briefcase. After Xie Ang left, I asked Wang Yanwen if they would release me. Wang said that Xie Ang went to report to the police department and they would decide. I told them they had better arrest me so I could sue them.
After more than an hour, Wang Yanwen confirmed my identity as an attorney and became quiet. Xie Ang kept visiting the director's office after he came back. I asked Xie Ang if they would keep my briefcase. He said no one was preventing me from taking it back. Then I went to the director's office and found my briefcase, which was torn at the handle.
No Apologies
I requested that officer Guo Jinshi apologize to me. He remained silent. Xie Ang said no one saw him kick me. I said, “I finally see your true colors, kicking an attorney and lying.” Xie Ang took me to the director's office and said that the director wanted to talk to me.
Director Chen Wei said they did not do anything to me and I should have brought all the documents when I came, otherwise they would not receive me. I said, “I have all the documents. You should not attack an attorney even if you refuse to receive him. What's more, you grabbed my briefcase and detained me. I ask that Guo Jinshi apologize to me.”
Both Chen Wei and Zhao Wei denied that anything happened. Chen Wei kept calling my employer to confirm my identify and power of attorney. Zhao Wei said no one was detaining me and that I could leave at any time.
I wanted to defend myself, but thinking about their outrageous behavior, I did not feel like staying any longer. At 5:30 p.m, I took my briefcase and left.
