Issued by Clearwisdom Net

On September 15, 2007, eleven Falun Gong practitioners from Huaihua City went to distribute truth-clarification materials. They were illegally detained by the 610 Office agents and the police from Huitong County. Three older practitioners at their age of 82, 70 and 60, respectively, returned home after they had five to ten thousand yuan extorted. The other eight practitioners were illegally sentenced to between three and seven years in prison by Huitong County Court.

Eight Falun Gong Practitioners from Huaihua City, Hunan Province, Were Illegally Sentenced

On September 15, 2007, eleven Falun Gong practitioners from Hecheng District, Huaihua City, including Zhu Zhouxiang, Wang Yuying, Yang Chunlan, Yang Yingde, Yi Huanmei, Li Huaxiu, Zhang Luying, Ai Yuhua, Nie Yuanxin, Nie Guixiang, and Zuo Shuying, rode in a bus to Ping Village in Baozijiao Town, Huitong County, Hunan Province, to distribute truth-clarification materials and expose the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong. CCP members from Huaihua City, along with 610 Office agents and police officers from Huitong County "illegally detained" them. The practitioners were all held in the Huitong County Detention Center. Three older practitioners, 82-year-old Nie Yuanxin, 70-year-old Zuo Shuying, and 60-year-old Nie Guixiang, returned home after they had five to ten thousand yuan extorted from them. The other eight practitioners were illegally sentenced to between three and seven years in prison by Huitong County Court.

On November 1, the eight practitioners were handcuffed behind their backs and taken to court. Zhu Zhouxiang testified in court that he was bruised from head to toe as a result of police brutality. He also pointed out that law enforcement officers violated the law, and he asked for an appeal. Originally, 610 Office personnel accused these practitioners' truth clarification of subverting Su Yu's centennial anniversary. These officials wanted to report this case to the central government. On September 16, when Huitong County celebrated the centennial anniversary of Su Yu, the practitioners were, in fact, clarifying the facts one long bus stop away from where the Huitong County ceremony was held. The practitioners did not even go near the ceremony. The court sentenced the practitioners based on fabricated charges.

While they were in detention, the eight practitioners held a hunger strike to protest, but they were brutally beaten. Mr. Yang Chunlan developed symptoms of high blood pressure and heart disease. He lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital emergency room. Mr. Yang later had to pay a medical bill of more than one thousand yuan, yet the detention center still refused to release him. When his family told those in charge at the detention center that Mr. Yang had been denied admission to Baimalong Forced Labor Camp due to having high blood pressure, the director of the police department, Liang Jianhua, said that he needed an official report. To avoid responsibility, he later said that Mr. Yang's case had been transferred to the Procuratorate.

Ms. Wang Yuying was persecuted to the brink of death. To prevent her family from finding out, 610 Office personnel transferred Ms. Wang from Huitong County to Jing County and then back to Huitong County. All the while she was on an IV. The appeal period was set from November 13 to November 23. Her family members refused to comply. Since three practitioners in this case had already been released, Ms. Wang's family said that this showed that the practitioners did not violate the law and that the remaining eight practitioners should also be released. The family demanded an explanation for these practitioners' harsh sentences.

Background information on the eight practitioners in this case:

Ms. Yi Huanmei, in her sixties, was sentenced to three years in prison. At the beginning of the persecution, she went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and was detained for more than six months. At 10:00 p.m. on February 25, 2003, the National Security Team, 610 Office, and officers from the Chengzhong Police Station in the Hecheng District gathered 40 thugs armed with steel clubs. They surrounded Ms. Yi's house near the west bus station in Huihua City and then smashed the metal security gate and the front door. These henchmen broke into the house and arrested Ms. Yi Huanmei and practitioner Ms. Zheng Hongxia. Ms. Zheng had left home to avoid further persecution and was staying in Ms. Yi's house. Yi Huanmei quickly opened the window and yelled for help. She did this also to expose the evil. Six thugs had to try three times before they could gag her and hold her down. Finally she was handcuffed behind her back. She was wearing only pajamas at the time. Ms. Yi and Ms. Zheng were dragged downstairs and put in a police car. They were detained for 15 days.

Mr. Zhu Zhouxiang, in his forties, was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was a human resources director at the Water and Power Supply Division of Huaihua Railroad. Since he did not give up practicing Falun Gong and went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, Mr. Zhu was expelled from the CCP and was fired from his post. He was illegally sentenced to forced labor. At the labor camp, Mr. Zhu was forced to do hard labor every day and was severely tortured. His hair turned totally white, and his vision deteriorated. His feet are still numb, a long time after his release. Whenever his feet touch warm water, they feel as if they are being electrically shocked. Later, Mr. Zhu was illegally detained two more times for clarifying the truth.

Ms. Wang Yuying, about 50 years old, is retired from the International Trading Company. She was sentenced to five years in prison and had been illegally detained for clarifying the facts.

Mr. Yang Yingde, about 60 years old, worked for a public transportation company. He was sentenced to three years in prison. Li Faxiu is also about 60 years old and was sentenced to six years of imprisonment. Both had been illegally detained for clarifying the facts.

Ms. Yang Chunlan, about 40 years old, an employee of the Raw Materials Company, was sentenced to five years in prison. Because she went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and clarified the truth, she was sentenced to forced labor and dismissed from her post. She was brutally tortured at Baimalong Forced Labor Camp in Zhuzhou City. She was handcuffed to the top of a bunk bed for a long time, with her feet barely touching the ground. A group of criminal inmates surrounded her and assaulted her. Later she was again arrested for clarifying the truth and was sentenced again to forced labor. The labor camp rejected Ms. Yang on account of her poor health. After she returned home, 610 Office personnel arrested her again. They told her husband that they were taking her to apply for a medical parole, and if he did not believe them he could follow them. They actually took Ms. Yang to the detention center on Wushui Road. They attempted to send her to a forced labor camp again.

Ms. Yang Chunlan escaped by sliding down a water pipe from the second floor. She did not return home, to avoid further persecution, but she kept clarifying the truth. She was once again arrested while distributing truth-clarification materials in public on August 27, 2004.

Ai Yuhua was sentenced to four years in prison and had been illegally detained for clarifying the facts.

Zhang Luying, an employee in railroad passenger services, was sentenced to four years in prison and had been illegally detained for clarifying the facts.