Illegal Detention of A Senior Researcher of Chinese Academy

Mr. Li Bao-qing is a senior researcher of the Institute of Geography of the Chinese Academy. A recipient of the government special allowance, he won the outstanding employee award of China Academy for "7th Five" major science and technology projects. He was also listed in "Who's Who" edited by the Center of International Who's Who, Cambridge, England, v. 25, P233, 1997 (translated from Chinese).

The following is Mr. Li's account of the regime's violations of his human rights.

1. On February 7, 2000, I left my keys inside my home, so I had to go to the detention center to get the keys from my wife (the police arrested her and ransacked our home one day earlier). After the police learned that I was the husband of Ms. Liu Jing-hang, a Falun Dafa practitioner, they asked me: "You are Liu Jing-hang's husband. Are you also a Falun Dafa practitioner? Don't go away! We have something to ask you. Come to talk with us!" As a result, the police detained me illegally for 38 days.

2. After forcing me into the building, the police conducted a body search on me. All my personal belongings were taken away from me. Then I was ordered to buy the sheet and comfort, take a photo and leave my fingerprints etc. I was treated exactly as a criminal. I had to obey them. I questioned them why they detained me. They said that I was to be interrogated because I was suspected of harming the social order as a Falun Gong practitioner. According to the "Law of Police", I should be questioned in the police station, and should be released within 24 or 48 hours because I had not committed any crime.

3. I was detained at about 1:00pm, but the detention warrant was not issued until 8:00pm. Those inmates were all surprised about that, complaining that the government was persecuting Falun Gong practitioners too ruthlessly and groundlessly. Before issuing the detention warrant, the police had already interrogated me.

4. The term of my detention, as stated on the warrant, was 30 days, i.e., from February 7 to March 7. But as a matter of fact, I was not released from the detention center until March 16. I was detained for a total of 39 days. There was no any amendment procedure during the period. Their explanation was that I was detained in the detention center for 30 days, and the court examined my case for 7 days. So the total was 37 days. But this was completely an excuse. Their intention was to detain me during the period of the National People Congress Session and the People's Political Consultative Session, so that I could not petition the two sessions to reconsider the Falun Gong issue.

5. After leaving the detention center, I still did not have personal freedom. Even my private passport was withheld.

My personal experience showed clearly that the regime has severely violated the constitutional rights of Chinese citizens. (April 11, 2000)

(Note: Li Baoqing's wife, Liu Jing-hang, was charged by the court with the groundless accusation of "being a second tier member of Falun Gong organization", and a "hard-core member").