(Minghui.org) Jishan County police arrested more than 20 Falun Gong practitioners who were trying to attend a June 15 trial in the Jishan County Courthouse. The practitioners were illegally detained for 5-15 days.
When the practitioners asked why they were being detained, the police chief said, “You are assembling to make trouble. Your signatures do not matter. I will detain you regardless. My name is Yan Guangming. Sue me if you don't agree.”
Mr. Jia Yizhen from Linfen City was detained for 10 days. He later filed a criminal complaint against the police chief. He never received a response. Instead, he was arrested and detained for another 15 days. The police confiscated his complaint letter and receipt of delivery.
A police department staff member told him, “We knew that a young man in Linfen was practicing Falun Gong. We've been planning to get you for a long time. Last year we were not able to detain you for filing a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin (the former head of Chinese Communist Party who ordered the persecution of Falun Gong). Now we finally have the chance.”
Detained Ten Days for Trying to Attend a Trial
The Jishan County Court was heavily guarded on June 15, the day of the trial. Mr. Jia asked the bailiff if he could attend the public trial. Yan Guangming, chief of the Domestic Security Division of Jishan Police Department, asked him to show his ID.
After Mr. Jia showed his ID, plainclothes officers pushed him into a private car and took him to Jishan Police Department. Mr. Jia was given 10 days of detention after being interrogated for 3.5 hours.
Mr. Jia filed a criminal complaint against Yan (for the illegal detention) with the Jishan County Procuratorate and another one against the Jishan County Police Department on July 4. Neither has responded. He also demanded that the Jishan County Police Department divulge the reason and evidence for his July 20th detention.
Detained Again for Filing Complaints for Being Illegally Detained
Mr. Jia received a phone call from Ludong Police Station in Linfen City on August 11 to ask him about the criminal complaints he filed. Several officers came to Mr. Jia's home and summoned him to the police station at 7 a.m. on August 16.
Mr. Jia arrived at the police station around 7:30 a.m. and was transferred to the Yaodu District Police Department. Mr. Jia clarified the truth about Falun Gong to the officers and emphasized that it was a citizen's legal right to file a criminal complaint. He also showed them a copy of his complaint letter and the receipt of delivery.
Officer Li Weifeng checked with the Legal Department and told Mr. Jia, “Although we do not have your confession, we can still detain you. Your crime is that you picked a fight and provoked trouble. Your complaint letter and receipt are the evidence.” Li seized the letter and receipt but claimed that he would return them after Mr. Jia served 15 days of detention.
Mr. Jia said that he needed the receipt to sue the Jishan Police Department. Li immediately issued a police warrant to seize the evidence permanently.
Mr. Jia Yizhen was taken to Yaodu District Detention Center that evening and held for 15 days.
Related Report:
Supporters Arrested for Trying to Attend Trial of Man Charged with Suing Jiang Zemin
