(Minghui.org) Although the forced labor camp system in China is being dismantled, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to persecute Falun Gong practitioners in brainwashing centers. Parading as “law education” centers, brainwashing centers have been illegally set up by the Political and Legal Affairs Committees and 610 Offices in local government branches. Practitioners are sent to these places after being arrested, or soon after being released from prisons or forced labor camps.

The brainwashing center run by Mishan City Political and Legal Affairs Committee in Heilongjiang Province is one such place. Mishan Brainwashing Center is located in northern Sanheqiao, Mishan City. Although it's called a “Law School,” it is actually a black jail.

Front gate of Mishan Brainwashing Center

Side gate of the brainwashing center

Mishan Brainwashing Center was opened in June 2011, and 22 practitioners had been incarcerated there by 2012. In 2013, officials from the Mishan Political and Legal Affairs Committee promised their superiors–the Heilongjiang Province Political and Legal Affairs Committee–that they would “transform” ten practitioners. After they met this quota, they would be awarded 200,000 yuan. The average reward is 20,000 yuan for "transforming" one practitioner. Driven by greed and the promise of advancement, another wave of persecution started in June 2013.

Taking Falun Gong Practitioners to the Brainwashing Center by Force

In this new round of persecution, officials from the Mishan City Political and Legal Affairs Committee first selected certain practitioners, then ordered local government authorities to take the selected practitioners to the brainwashing center. If the practitioners refused to go, they were arrested and taken by force.

Arresting Practitioners at Home

Ms. Yao Tiemei was at work on the morning of July 27, 2013. Wang Xiaoping, head of the Mishan Brainwashing Center, and four or five police officers told her that since she didn't sign in to the brainwashing center last year and still didn't go after being notified, she had to go this year. They took her to the brainwashing center by force.

Several brainwashing center employees went to Ms. Zhou's home in July 2013, and demanded that she go to the brainwashing center. She refused. They started to argue, and Ms. Zhou passed out. Seeing her laying on the ground unconscious, they didn't take her to the hospital or try to help her. They just drove off. The neighbors contacted her husband, and he hurried home.

Threatening Local Government Officials to Cooperate with the Persecution

On June 24, 2013, Wang Kuixiu, deputy of Mishan Political and Legal Affairs Committee, pressured Liu Chenzhu, head of Fuyuan Township, and Wang Puxiang, the township Party head, urging them to send Ms. Wang Yunying to the brainwashing center. The local leaders told Ms. Wang's husband that if she didn't go, the family would be in trouble. Ms. Wang was taken to the brainwashing center on June 25, 2013.

Sending Arrested Practitioners to the Brainwashing Center for Further Persecution

Mr. Hou Baohua was arrested on July 11, 2013, by officer Ji Jingbo from Tielu Police Station, and taken to the Mudanjiang Detention Center. After being detained there for 28 days, he was sent to Mishan Brainwashing Center for another 15 days.

Colluding with Other City 610 Offices to Persecute Practitioners

Ms. Wei, 38, was a practitioner in Daqing City. She was about to be released after serving five years in Harbin City Women's Prison, but her family hadn't arrived to pick her up. The authorities wanted to send her to the brainwashing center. The other brainwashing centers had refused to take her, but Mishan Brainwashing Center did. On August 29 or 30, 2013, she was escorted more than 350 km (217 miles) to Mishan Brainwashing Center.

Using Violence to Try to Brainwash Practitioners

Falun Gong practitioners are tormented physically and mentally in the brainwashing center.

Ms. Liu Meizhang Dies of Spleen Injury Sustained in the Brainwashing Center

Ms. Liu Meizhang was sent to the brainwashing center on the afternoon of June 25, 2013, by Mishan 610 Office agents.

While she was there, she accidentally slipped and fell, injuring her spleen. Even though she was in extreme pain, she was never treated, and was detained in the brainwashing center for an additional 36 days. She was released on July 31, 2013.

Ms. Liu was then taken to the hospital, where she died at 4:00 a.m. on November 8, 2013.

Related report: Ms. Liu Meizhang Passes Away After Three Arrests in Three Years

Ms. Ma Xiuqin's Blood Pressure Shoots up to 160

Ms. Ma Xiuqin was arrested by plainclothes officers waiting for her near her home at around 11:00 a.m. on August 30, 2013. Yu Xiaofeng, head of Mishan City 610 Office; Zhang Zhongren, a Mishan Brainwashing Center guard; police officer Chen Jinlei; and an unidentified woman took her to the brainwashing center.

Yu Xiaoping, head of the brainwashing center, forced Ms. Ma to watch video programs that slandered Dafa and Master Li Hongzhi, and pressured her to write the three statements, promising to give up her belief. Ms. Ma became very weak, started coughing, and couldn't sleep or eat. Her blood pressure shot up to 160.

She asked to go home for medical treatment. Wang Xiaoping told her, “We can't let you go. People will blame us for your condition.” She was finally allowed to go home after being detained for 22 days.

Ms. Wei Threatened with Organ Harvesting

After Ms. Wei refused to write the three statements, she was shown two boxes, and told, “If you don't sign on it, we'll cut open your chest and sell your organs.” She was not allowed to sleep for three days and nights.

Extortion

The 610 Office agents extorted funds from practitioners and their families. The money was not only used to maintain the brainwashing center, but also on their own gourmet food and travel, and to line their own pockets.

The brainwashing center ordered Ms. Ma Xiuqin's husband's employer to pay 4,000 yuan to hire two people to watch her in the brainwashing center.

His employer threatened Ms. Ma's husband, and said he had to pay it. Her husband, who is around 70, earns a meager income by pedaling goods on his tricycle, and could not pay.

Mr. Hou Baihua was also the victim of extortion. The brainwashing center ordered him to pay 4000 yuan. Since his family was unable to come up with the money, the local township government had to come up with the funds.

Partial List of Mishan City Brainwashing Center Staff Members:Wang Kuixiu (王奎秀), deputy head of the Political and Legal Affairs CommitteeYu Xiaofeng (于晓峰), head of the 610 OfficeWang Xiaoping (王晓萍), head of the brainwashing centerFu Xiuli (付秀丽), collaboratorChen Jinlei (陈金雷), police officerNiu (牛), guard, brother-in-law of Wang Xiaoping, retired from a factoryZhang Zhongren (张忠仁), guard, retired from Mishan criminal police divisionQiu (邱), education assistant