The Facts of the Persecution of Falun Gong  -- April 2, 2007

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content

  • Twenty Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province

  • Mr. Li Qingbo from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, Detained after Being Released from Three Years of Forced Labor

  • The Persecution of  Mr. Zhao Huanzhen from Shanhaiguan City, Hebei Province

  • Mr. Li Fubin from Gansu Province Unable to Walk Due to Torture at Lanzhou Prison

  • Ms. Li Xiantao Illegally Arrested Again

  • The Persecution of Mr. Guan Tinggui from Anhui Province



  • Twenty Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province

    Based on incomplete data, between January 30, 2007 and February 24, 2007, twenty four Falun Gong practitioners in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province have been taken into custody. Those arrested were: Mr. Wei Xingshe, Mr. Wei's wife Ms. Lu Shouhua, their son Wei Feng; Mr. Wang Qinli and wife Ms. He Peixiu (their two daughters still attending school have been left unattended at home); Mr. Chen Zhendong and wife Ms. Niu Shuxia (the two sons are in school, the grandfather is almost 80 years old); Ms. Zhao Lijun, Ms. Yuan Ling, Ms. Chen Chuanxia, Meng Qingquan (gender unknown), Li Kehui (gender unknown), Zhang Changjin (gender unknown), Meng Qinghua (gender unknown), Mr. Li Hu (who had just got a marriage certificate), Mr. Zhao Zhongliang, Cheng Jiying (gender unknown), Lu Binglin (gender unknown), Ms. Li Cuixia, Ms. Shao Xue and her daughter, Mr. Geng Huaiqing (whose wife had died from persecution; their daughter who attends middle school has been left at home alone), Xu Qihua (gender unknown), Ms. Wang Guangping, and Mr. Du, who lives in Jinshanqiao. Several other practitioners have been forced to leave town and have no place to stay.

    The police also sabotaged productions sites for Falun Gong informational materials, confiscating dozens of personal computers and printers, and a large quantity of accessories and supplies.

    Suppressive organizations which engaged in the campaign include: Xuzhou City 610 Office, Xuzhou City Police Station; Jiawang District 610 Office, Jiawang District Police Department, Xiaqiao Police Station, Laokuang Police Station, Daquan Police Station; Gulou District 610 Office, Gulou District Police Department, Fengcai Police Station; Jinshanqiao 610 Office, Jinshanqiao Police Department, Yangzhuang Police Station; Hanqiao Mine of the Xuzhou Mining Bureau and its security section.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/24/151461.html


    Mr. Li Qingbo from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, Detained after Being Released from Three Years of Forced Labor

    Mr. Li Qingbo, a Falun Gong practitioner from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, was sentenced to three years of forced labor and detained in the Shenzhen City Second Labor Camp. Right after he was released on January 31, 2007, officials from the Jiangan District 610 Office of Wuhan City arrested him and secretly escorted him back to Wuhan City. Currently, Mr. Qingbo is detained in the Chenjiaji Brainwashing Center in Jiangan District.

    Over the past several years, Mr. Qingbo's father has been sent to the emergency room after he had several heart attacks which were caused by the persecution. Li Yingjie, head of the Jiangan District 610 Office, has deceived Mr. Qingbo's mother many times. Recently, Qingbo's father's health had deteriorated and twice the hospitals sent out a notice saying that he was on the verge of death. Li Yingjie and party secretary Yan of the Chenjiaji Brainwashing Center tried to coerce Mr. Qingbo to give up his Falun Gong practice and write the "five statements" (similar to the three statements)by using his father's condition as an incentive.

    Mr. Li Qingbo is 44 years old, and holds a Bachelor's degree. He worked as an engineer at the Changjiang Hydroelectric Power Committee of Wuhan City and lived in the Changwei Dormitory #49-402 in Tijiao Residential Area of Wuhan City. After he began practicing Falun Gong, he behaved strictly according to the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." Shortly after beginning Falun Gong practice, all of Mr. Qingbo's illnesses disappeared. After the persecution of Falun Gong started in July 20, 1999, he went to Beijing to appeal to the government, to tell them that Falun Dafa is good. Afterwards, he was placed under surveillance. Then his workplace fired him using his absence as the excuse.

    During the past seven years, Mr. Qingbo has been sentenced to forced labor twice and has been detained for more than four years, which has included about two years in various places in Jiangan District. In March 2000, he was sent to Jinlong Restaurant in Wuhan City to "study" for a month. In June 2000, Mr. Qingbo was arrested at his home and detained 15 days before he was sent to a brainwashing center for three months. In December 2000, he was detained again for 30 days. In March 2001, Mr. Qingbo was detained in a brainwashing center for nine and a half months. In April 2002, he was sentenced to forced labor and detained in the Hewan Labor Camp in Wuhan City for a year. In April 2003, right after he was released from the labor camp, officials from the Jiangan District 610 Office arrested him and took him to the brainwashing center. Mr. Qingbo was persecuted there for over a month.

    In July 2004, police from the Jiangan District Police Department ransacked Mr. Qingbo's home. To avoid further persecution, he left his home and went to Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province to look for a job. In December 2004, he was arrested while distributing Falun Gong materials and sentenced to three years of forced labor. Mr. Qingbo was detained and persecuted at the Shenzhen City Second Labor Camp.

    On January 31, 2007, right after Mr. Qingbo was released from the labor camp, officials from the Jiangan District 610 Office went to Shenzhen City and arrested him. They escorted him back to Wuhan City and detained him in the Chenjiaji Brainwashing Center, where he is currently being detained. Mr. Qingbo's family has tried to appeal for him, but so far they have failed.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/14/150774.html


    The Persecution of Mr. Zhao Huanzhen from Shanhaiguan City, Hebei Province

    Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhao Huanzhen is a resident of Shanhaiguan, Hebei Province, and he is in his fifties. He began to learn Falun Gong in 1996. Since then he has tried to conduct himself according to the Falun Gong teachings and improve his xinxing to become a person with high morals and good health. He had a harmonious family and was responsible and diligent at work.

    On July 20, 1999, Jiang Zemin abused his power by suppressing and persecuting Falun Gong. However, Zhao Huanzhen held on to his belief. He spoke up for Falun Gong and related the benefits he gained from the practice to the government and fellow citizens. However, for his selfless deeds he suffered brutal persecution.

    In December 2002, Zhao Huanzhen went to Beijing to appeal. After he was taken back by agents from the Shanhaiguan Police Department, he was illegally detained in the Shanhaiguan Detention Center. Policeman Zhao Peng conducted eight hours of brutal, torturous interrogation.

    They removed Zhao Huanzhen's coat and sweater during the winter and left him wearing only a shirt. They used a thin nylon rope to tie up his neck, shoulders and arms from behind. Then they inserted liquor bottles into the gap between his arms and back. Moreover, Zhao Peng ordered two of his subordinates to each lift one of his arms to make him feel more pain. At the same time, persecutor Zhao Peng repeatedly slapped the practitioner's face so violently that his mouth filled with blood. The policemen cursed him constantly, claiming that they often interrogated death row inmates. Their language was extremely filthy. When the food came, Zhao Peng kicked over the dish, forbidding the practitioner to eat. Furthermore, after they untied the rope, Zhao Peng braided the rope into several strands and ruthlessly slapped his forehead with it, making Zhao Huanzhen disoriented. He had not recovered even after two weeks passed.

    Mr. Zhao Huanzhen was illegally sentenced to three years of forced labor on January 19, 2001 and sent to the Hehuakeng Labor Camp in Tangshan city, where he was placed in the "sitting class." Victims of this torture had to sit on a stool for fifteen hours daily, according to a dictated sitting posture; otherwise they would suffer verbal abuse and other physical abuse. They had to keep their head and neck straight with eyes looking forward and hands behind their backs. With the arms backward, all fingers crossed, palms face up, calves vertical and still, feet as wide apart as shoulders, and the posture stiff. The police even shamelessly called it "meditation and recollection."

    Moreover, prison guards often shouted, "Keep straight!" The practitioners would begin to sweat within ten minutes. Their clothes would be soaked within half-an-hour. This went on from 5 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock in the evening, during which time they could only stand up to eat or use the restroom. They were physically exhausted and in a lot of pain when the day was over. The buttocks felt a burning pain from contact with the stool. When sleep time finally arrived, the bed that two people had to share had barely enough space. They had to lay on their sides, but still felt crowded. On the fifteenth day, Mr. Zhao's buttocks seeped blood and stuck his shorts, pants and sweater together, which caused unbearable pain. When using the toilet he had to carefully peel off the clothes. This felt like being stabbed with a blunt knife.

    In addition, the detainees did not have enough to eat. Thus, all the victims there became extremely weak, and their weight quickly dropped.

    One month later Zhao Huanzhen was assigned to do physical labor.

    On June 17, 2001, large-scale forced "reform" effort was under way. Zhao Huanzhen was taken to Group 6 for intensive "reform." Guards Wang Ying and Han Dongqi supervised the sessions. First, they attempted to force him to write the so-called three statements to renounce Falun Gong. They did not let him sleep throughout the night. The next day Wang Yin saw that coercion did not work. He ordered Zhao Huanzhen to read a book that slandered Falun Gong and Master Li. Mr. Zhao refused to cooperate. The guards started to shock him with electric batons. The first baton ran out of power. They brought in two higher-voltage batons and shocked his neck, lower body, and inner thighs. They also hit him until he fell down and his head hit the floor.

    Since he refused to give in, Mr. Zhao Huanzhen was once again taken to the discipline class on June 2, 2002. This time the team consisted of six people. Wang Yin led the team. Members included Liu Fuxing, Li Jianzhong, Gu Shiqing, Zhang Jingmin and Yi. First, Liu Fuxing spoke to him. Seeing that it did not work, he ordered inmate Zhao Zhijun and others to punch and kick Mr. Zhao until he could not get up. At that point he could barely breathe. When the guards found that the beating was still not producing results, six of them tortured him with electric batons and attacked him. When evening came, they still did not let him sleep. He lived with such terror for six months.

    On June 20, 2003, Zhao Huanzhen and four other practitioners were once again taken to the discipline class for brainwashing in the name of "fighting SARS." Beginning at 5 o'clock each morning, the practitioners had to endure the physical torture of sitting on the stool. They had to look straight ahead and listen to information that slandered Falun Gong. Moreover, their living conditions were really bad. Breakfast and dinner consisted of only one steamed bun per person; lunch contained two steam buns. Their water ration was less than one cup per day. The weather in Tangshan during June, July and August was extremely hot and humid. At night they were packed close together, and it was difficult to sleep. Each day seemed like a year.

    The situation continued like this for more than one hundred days. In late September, after a long period of persecution, Mr. Zhao's health deteriorated each day. He initially lost bowel and bladder control and then had no bowel movement for more than 20 days. Subsequently he had an infection in his rectum and a fever higher than 39 0C [about 102 0F].

    The police just gave him one fever tablet every so often. However, Zhang Jingmin made Mr. Zhao sit on the stool, although he was no longer able to drink or eat. Three days later the police reluctantly agreed to let him see a doctor. They told him to walk to the hospital. Later on, when they saw him indeed unable to walk, they ordered two inmates to hold him up and help him walk.

    The hospital found swelling in his rectal area, requiring infusion, catheterization, and enemas. Policeman Gao Hai only gave permission for catheterization and enemas and then took him back to the labor camp.

    Mr. Zhao's fever remained high. On the 4th day he had severe rectal swelling. Following examination at the hospital the doctor requested to admit him for immediate treatment. Policeman Wang Yulin brought him in this time. Wang lied, saying that no one was available to watch him, so he asked the doctor to use a catheter. Doctor said frequent insertions would lead to urethra infection and did not want to perform the surgery. However, after finishing the enemas, the doctor, with Wang's insistence, no longer refused to use a catheter. This time Zhao Huanzhen strongly resisted because it was so painful. Wang Yulin was angered and wanted to do it by force. Considering that this was not the labor camp, he was afraid of others watching him. He said viciously, "I'll do it when we get back."

    On the fifth day, having been unable to drink or eat, in addition to being unable to urinate or have a bowel movement, Mr. Zhao was close to death. Fearing to bear the responsibility for his death, the police quietly sent him back home.

    His family members were unaware of what was going on. The police dropped him off and quickly left. His family found that he was dying and quickly took him to a hospital for emergency care. The diagnosis was swelling in the rectal area and gangrene in the testicles. A witness described a large indentation in the rectal area that had affected the testicles, making them gangrenous. A doctor in charge commented that he had never seen such a serious case in his twenty years of medical practice. He said that had Zhao Huanzhen been brought in two days later he would have lost his life. These injuries were deliberately caused.

    Although Zhao Huanzhen survived, three major surgeries that he had to undergo permanently disabled him. The hospital fee alone was over 20,000 yuan.

    This is a glimpse into the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners at the hands of Shanhaiguan police officers and labor camp guards.

    Zhao Huanzhen went to Dingwuzhai in Shanhaiguan on February 14, 2007 to clarify the facts. Agents from the Shihe Town Police Station unlawfully arrested and interrogated him. They sent him to the Shanhaiguan Detention Center on the afternoon of February 15, 2007.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/2/24/149601.html


    Mr. Li Fubin from Gansu Province Unable to Walk Due to Torture at Lanzhou Prison

    Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Fubin, 58, from Lanzhou City, Gansu Province was abused so severely in the Lanzhou Prison that his previous illness of high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and enlargement of the veins recurred. His legs were swollen to the point where he could not walk. The guards refused to give him medical treatment inside or outside of prison.

    Mr. Li started to practice Falun Gong in 1998, and his high blood pressure and cardiac diseases disappeared. Late in 2000, he went to Beijing twice to appeal for justice for Falun Gong, clarifying the truth to the world's people. He was unjustly detained by the police.

    In February 2002, Mr. Li was arrested by Xi Mingde, a policeman from the Qilihe District Police Department in Lanzhou City. He was unlawfully detained in the Xiguoyuan Detention Center of Lanzhou City. In late September 2002, he was transferred to the Second Detention Center in Hualinshan Area.

    After more than two years of detention, in March 2003 the Lanzhou Court of the Chinese Communist Party sentenced Mr. Li to eight years in prison, and transferred him to Lanzhou Prison. He was tortured many times while in solitary confinement.

    Lanzhou Prison: P.O. Box 28 Dashaping, Lanzhou City, zip code 730046
    Address: 298 Foci Street, Lanzhou City, zip code 730046

    Yang Wancheng (male), Prison Warden of Lanzhou Prison
    Shi Tianyou (male), Deputy Warden of the prison responsible for inmate management
    Liu Yuanzhen (male), Deputy Warden responsible for inmate education.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/23/151363.html


    Ms. Li Xiantao from Wuhan City Illegally Arrested Again

    On March 7, 2007, Ms. Li Xiantao from Wuhan City was arrested by Dongshan Farm Police Station when she was clarifying the truth about Falun Gong to people. She was transferred to the Etouwan Brainwashing Center in Dongxihu District. Brainwashing center personnel are not allowing her family members to meet her.

    Ms. Li Xiantao, 50, began practicing Falun Gong in 1996. All of her illnesses then disappeared. Since July 20, 1999, she has been illegally arrested or detained repeatedly due to her belief in Falun Gong.

    On December 31, 1999, Wang Lihua, former director of Wuxing Community, Song from Wuhan City Police Department, Feng Zhuanyun and Tang Jianhua from the 1st Section of Dongxihu District Police Department arrested Li Xiantao from her home. They left her with Qiu Hanhua, a policeman from the 1st Division of Wuhuan City Police Department. She then was detained at the Retirement Home of Hanyang Police Department in Wuhuan City for several days before she was released.

    In April 2000, under the instructions of Xiao Zuoyi, the former CCP Political and Legal Secretary of Dongxihu District, Wuhan City, Wang Lihua and policeman Xu Zhihai took Ms. Li to the local police station by deceiving her. She was sent to the brainwashing center in the district's Meteorology Bureau to be persecuted for one month.

    In June and July of 2000, Ms. Li went to Beijing to appeal but was arrested at the railway station. Then she was sent to the Women's Education Center of the Dongxihu District and detained there for 15 days.

    On September 19, 2000, without informing her family,Wang Lihua and Xu Zhihai arrest Ms. Li. She was detained at the local police station for one night. The next day, she was sentenced to one year at the forced labor camp without any legal procedures being followed or a trial. She was sent to the 6th Group of the Hewan Forced Labor Camp for persecution.

    In June 2003, under orders from Qian Changlai, the former director of Dongxihu District 610 Office, several thugs took Li Xiantao from her home to the Sandian Brainwashing Center. She was forced to remain standing for three or four days without closing her eyes. There were banners slandering Falun Gong on all the walls and words written to insult its founder all over the floor. Succumbing to the torture of her mind and body, she wrote a statement promising not to practice Falun Gong anymore. She was released after about 20 days. Later, she denounced the statement that she was forced to write at the brainwashing center and started practicing again.

    The officials in charge at the brainwashing center included Li Guangming, the director of Dongxihu District Police Station; Xiao Guoqiang, a judge at the Dongxihu District Court; and Xiao Mouping from the Labor Bureau.

    On March 9, 2004, a group of policemen broke into Li Xiantao's home to arrest her. Her refusal to cooperate with this illegal action resulted in the policemen dragging her down from the fourth floor to the main floor. Her hands and feet started bleeding, and she was not even allowed to put her shoes on while she was being taken to the Sandian Brainwashing Center. Under the supervision of Wei Daozhang, the director of the 610 Office, the CCP  Political and Legal Committee, Ms. Li was closely watched by three or four people all the time, including her trips to the bathroom. She was also forced to read materials defaming Falun Gong. She started a hunger strike to protest the persecution against her. At the Sandian Brainwashing Center, she lost most of her eyesight and her blood pressure was very high. In order to avoid responsibility for her failing health, those in charge informed her family to take her home. However, the 610 Office staff and members from the neighborhood committee continued to harass her at home from time to time. At the end of 2006, there were monitors assigned to watch her at her residence.

    On March 7, 2007, Li Xiantao and her husband went to her hometown, Dongshan Farm. When she went out to clarify the truth about Falun Gong in the afternoon, she was arrested by officers from Dongshan Farm Police Station and transferred to the Etouwan Brainwashing Center of the Dongxihu District. The officials in charge of the center did not allow her family members to visit her. The brainwashing center arranged to check her blood pressure for unknown reasons. She did not cooperate with the officials at the brainwashing center. The 610 Office authorities have harassed both Ms. Li's husband and her daughter at their workplaces.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/19/151084.html


    The Persecution of Mr. Guan Tinggui from Anhui Province

    [Note: The following is a shortened version of a longer and more detailed article that appeared on the Minghui.org website (Chinese version of Clearwisdom.net).]

    Three Falun Gong practitioners in Houying Village, Gongdian Town, Lixin County, Anhui Province -- Mr. Guan Tinggui, a 61-year-old widower, Mr. Jiang Zilian, 56 years old, and Ping Ping's mother, 40 years old - practiced the Falun Gong exercises together one day. Village head Guan Chunming imposed a 700-yuan "fine" on each practitioner, and kept the money for himself.

    Village head Guan Chunming called Gongdian Police Station and Lixin County Police Department on January 20, 2007. The police later ransacked Mr. Guan Tinggui's home and took him away, also taking his Falun Gong books and materials. They brought Mr. Guan to the Lixin County Police Department.

    The wicked officials tied Guan Tinggui to an electricity pole and beat him. They knocked out several of his teeth. They also threw him in a cold room, and they refused to let his family see him. His current whereabouts are unknown.

    The day after Guan Tinggui was illegally arrested, practitioners Jiang Zilian and Ping Ping's mother were reported to the police. The police took them away. Village head Guan Chunming took them back and extorted 610 yuan and 125 kg of rice noodles from each practitioner.

    Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/21/151240.html