Life for ten-year-old Zhang Jiarui in Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province is very difficult as his father is illegally held in a labor camp.
His father Zhang Bin was an employee at the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of the General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing. He used to indulge in smoking and drinking and as a result was in poor health. His wife Cheng Qinglan, the boy's mother, divorced him in November 1997. Zhang Bin, whose son lived with him, started practicing Falun Gong in early 1998, and he quit those unhealthy habits and started taking his responsibility toward his son Zhang Jiarui seriously. He persisted in practicing Falun Gong and for the past six years has been persecuted. The General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing illegally cancelled his work contract. Zhang Bin was forced to move out of his home with his son who was five years old at the time. The father was abducted for the second time in December 2004 and is currently being persecuted at the Suihua Forced Labor Camp.
Zhang Jiarui is currently attending third grade. His mother Cheng Qinglan said, "He has been living without his father for a long time, and he was discriminated against by his classmates and teachers. He has low self-esteem and is depressed. He has poor grades because of lack of love and attention." Cheng Qinglan asked for the unconditional release of Zhang Bin, Zhang Jiarui's legal guardian, so the boy can have a stable environment. She also demanded that related work units compensate Zhang Bin and her, according to Article 26 and Article 27 of the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China, for financial loss and emotional distress caused by the persecution during the past few years.
Below is Cheng Qinglan's public letter to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp, an appeal and an application for compensation.
Public Letter to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp
To all authorities and guards at Suihua Forced Labor Camp:
Greetings! I am the ex-wife of Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Bin who is being held at your labor camp. We divorced in 1997 because Zhang Bin used to drink and smoke and was very decadent. Zhang Bin won custody of our son.
Zhang Bin quit the bad habits of drinking and smoking in early 1998. He became positive and healthy, kind and considerate of others. Since 1999 Zhang Bin has been illegally arrested twice. He decided to leave home twice with our son after his release. His work unit illegally cancelled his contract. I had to take over the custody of our son, although I was suffering from numerous illnesses and had no income. The hardships we were forced to endure are hard to describe in words.
In the past few years my son lived without the love of his father. He has lived in fear, prejudice and depression. He missed his father and now earns poor grades as a result. His physical and mental health is severely affected by his father's absence. I have heart disease, kidney stones, dizziness, hypoglycemia and other illnesses. The high expenses associated with my son's schooling have gradually depleted my savings. I have reached my limits, physically, financially and emotionally. I am no longer capable of taking care of my son.
My son and I are having a difficult time sustaining our livelihood. I plead with the Suihua Forced Labor Camp authorities to release Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Bin for humanitarian reasons to help alleviate our situation, so that Zhang Bin can carry out his responsibility as our son's legal guardian.
I have several requests for the labor camp authorities:
Immediately release Zhang Bin, our son's legal guardian.
Ensure Zhang Bin's legal rights of personal safety and rights of life during the time he is detained at Suihua Forced Labor Camp.
If Zhang Bin will not be released in the near future, I ask that the Suihua Forced Labor Camp take over the custody of Zhang Bin's son Zhang Jiarui before Zhang Bin regains freedom.
Zhang Jiarui's mother: Cheng Qinglan
September 1, 2005
Appeal Statement
Appellant: Cheng Qinglan, female, 35 years old, former employee of the Longfeng Real Estate Company
Addressees: No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, Daqing Forced Labor Camp, Suihua Forced Labor Camp
Requests:
Unconditionally release Zhang Bin. As legal guardian Zhang Bin takes care of Zhang Jiarui to ensure Zhang Jiarui's quality of life. Related work units compensate us for our financial loss and emotional distress during the past few years according to Article 26 and Article 27 of the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China.
Facts to support my claim:
Zhang Bin and I divorced in November 1997 because Zhang Bin smoked, drank and lived a decadent life. Zhang Bin won custody of our child. In early 1998, Zhang Bin started practicing Falun Gong. He quit the bad habits and stayed away from them, and great physical and mental changes overcame him. He adopted a positive outlook on life.
Zhang Bin was abducted twice since the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999. He took our son and left home. They lived in exile. I was indirectly persecuted. During the time he stayed away from home to avoid abduction and when he was held at the labor camp, I had no choice but to take care of our son. I was terminated from my work contract in 2000 because of my poor health. Zhang Bin's work unit, the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, forced Zhang Bin to resign from his contract in late 2000 by threatening to fire him. From then on, our son Zhang Jiarui was forced to live in an unstable environment and my life became increasingly difficult.
I was unemployed. I had heart disease, kidney stones, dizziness, hypoglycemia and other conditions. In the past few years when Zhang Bin was persecuted, my son and I were also financially and emotionally persecuted and had to endure great pressure and anguish. My son has lived without his father for a long time and has been discriminated against by his classmates, teachers and others. As a result, he suffers from low self-esteem and depression and earns poor grades. His physical and mental health is severely impaired. The high expenses associated with my son's schooling have gradually depleted my savings, and I have reached my limits physically, financially and emotionally. I am no longer capable of taking care of my son.
I entreat conscionable people and related organizations to extend a helping hand in helping us rescue Zhang Bin, so our son can return to his father, so that his young heart will be comforted, he will have someone to depend on, and so peace in my life can be restored.
Legal citation supporting my petition:
Article 36 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief" and Article 37 of the Constitution, "(1) The personal freedom of citizens of the People's Republic of China is inviolable...(3) Unlawful deprivation or restriction of citizens' personal freedom by detention or other means is prohibited." Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."
Zhang Bin's work unit, the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, compelled Zhang Bin to resign from his contract in late 2000 by threatening to fire him. This company violated Zhang Bin's rights as a citizen and is guilty of abusing their power.
In December 2004, Zhang Bin went to the home of a fellow practitioner. Officers from Daqing City Criminal Police Division and from Honggang District Criminal Police Division planned to and abducted Zhang Bin. They held Zhang Bin at the Sa District Detention Center and Daqing Forced Labor Camp. On March 15 they sent him to the Suihua Forced Labor Camp where he has been incarcerated until now. Persons from Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, the Daqing Forced Labor Camp and the Suihua Forced Labor Camp violated Article 36 and Article 37 of the Constitution of China, and Article 18 and Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Whereas the aforementioned work units have violated the law, I ask the judicial departments to abide by the Constitution of China, by the the Criminal Law of China, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and by the Compensation Law of the People's Republic of China to unconditionally release Zhang Bin and prosecute work units and persons responsible, and compensate the victims for their financial losses and emotional distress.
To the following departments with respect:
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, People's
Republic of China
Supreme People's Procuratorate of People's Republic of China
Supreme Court of the People's Republic of China
The Standing Committee of the Heilongjiang Province People's Congress
High People's Procuratorate of Heilongjiang Province
High People's Court of Heilongjiang Province
Judicial Department of Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang Province Labor Reeducation Work Administration Bureau
The Standing Committee of the Daqing City People's Congress
Daqing City People's Court
Daqing City People's Procuratorate
Daqing City People's Government
Appellant: Cheng Qinglan
September 1, 2005
Application for Compensation
Appellant: Cheng Qinglan, female, 35 years old, unemployed
Request for compensation:
I request the No. 3 Petroleum Chemical Plant of General Petroleum Chemical Plant in Daqing, Daqing City Criminal Police Division, Honggang District Criminal Police Division, Daqing Forced Labor Camp, and Suihua Forced Labor Camp compensate Zhang Bin, our son Zhang Jiarui and me for all of our financial losses and emotional distress.
Facts and reasons: please look at the "facts" in the appeal statement.
Applicant: Cheng Qinglan
After I came to Canada in 2005, I could practice the Falun Gong exercises, study Zhuan Falun, and listen to Falun Gong music. My health and spirit visibly improved the moment I arrived here. The most important thing is that in Canada, one can freely practice Falun Gong because Canada respects one's freedom of belief. I cannot help but shudder whenever I think about my days under persecution in China. Under the persecution, my husband was murdered, my son and daughter-in-law could not find a job, we could not visit our friends and relatives, and my son and I could not go back home. I don't want to keep the memory of that terror in my mind.
Back in China I started to practice Falun Gong in October 1994. My whole family became Falun Gong practitioners. Before my husband was persecuted to death, he was an associate professor and doctor at a medical college, as well as the vice chair doctor at the hospital. Because of his outstanding medical knowledge and well-known status, he was often invited to visit U.S. and Canadian medical institutions and organizations for academic exchanges.
As soon as my son learned about Falun Gong during his internship in Beijing in 1994, he returned home immediately and introduced Falun Gong to the whole family. After that we all started practicing Falun Gong. After studying the Fa and practicing for a while, my severe heart attack syndrome (due to a heart attack, I had collapsed and was in intensive care for 21 days at the hospital before regaining consciousness) improved noticeably, and I stopped all medication. I felt more open-minded, uplifted both mentally and physically, and conducted myself according to the Falun Gong principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." My husband also appeared jubilant after practicing Falun Gong. He appeared younger than others in the same age category and was in excellent health.
In 1996, we started a practice site for local practitioners in our area using the house we had just built for my son for when he married and started a new family. Each day we had a full house. More than 100 people joined us for the Falun Gong exercises on a daily basis. Among them were CCP members, middle level administrators, young children in elementary school from the third and fourth grades, elderly people in their 70s, young people working at the TV station, local court personnel and hospital employees. Many of them were outstanding contributors at their jobs. They showed up at the clubhouse from 5:00 to 6:30 a.m. in the morning for the standing exercises, and came to our son's house from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the evening to study the Fa. I bought many Falun Gong books, lecture tapes and other material to give to my relatives, friends and other practitioners.
The CCP started persecuting Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. Overnight they started mass arrests and it was very terrifying. Practitioners could no longer study the Fa together. My son and some other Falun Gong practitioners went to appeal and clarify the truth at the Provincial Government on the night of July 20. Yet the Provincial Government was arresting people right off the street and throwing them into busses. My son and another practitioner escaped and returned home. Because my home was a well-known practice site, every day officials from the Retirement Administration, Public Security Bureau, police station, neighborhood administration office, and work unit would come to check on us and harass us. They would ask, "Why did you provide a practice site for Falun Gong practitioners? What was your motive?" I replied, "Falun Gong was beneficial to maintaining the stability of society, improving people's quality of health and moral values and it was welcomed everywhere. That is why I provided the practice site." They tried to force me to surrender my Falun Gong books, and my audio and videotapes. They sent deputies to stay at my house to monitor us so that we could no longer study the Fa as we used to. Practicing the exercises was out of the question at that time. We had to wait until late at night before we dared to take out the book to study the Fa. We were under constant fear that they might confiscate our books. Even so, we never bowed under pressure and continued studying the Fa. They, on the other hand, tried to figure out all kinds of ways to persecute us.
In the beginning, they knew I had a severe heart condition before practicing Falun Gong and that their threatening wouldn't work on me. They adopted a strategy to work on my husband and son, using my son as a hostage. They figured that my health would be adversely affected by torturing my husband and son. If I died because of that, then the whole family would lose its pillar and daily support. That would spell the demise of my family. Because my house was the only local practice site, material distribution site and Fa study site, my husband was a well-known doctor locally, and my whole family practiced Falun Gong, we became a highly valued target for persecution. My son was also on their "black list" (most wanted list) because he was a determined Falun Gong practitioner. They knew my husband and I were very concerned about our son's safety and well-being, so they doubled their effort to coerce and threaten us.
In early August, a couple of people from my son's work unit came to our house. They asked us as soon as arrived, "Your son escaped. Where did he go?" My husband and I nearly fainted on the spot, concerned that they had arrested my son without any due process. They warned us, "If we cannot find your son today, we will take you two." Then they called an emergency meeting, sending their men to bus stations and train stations to find my son. Later, they sent someone to my son's home and found out he was resting after completing a long night-shift. If he had been found on the street, it would have been a good enough excuse for them to arrest him immediately. Because my son refused to sign any guarantee statement to give up practicing Falun Gong, and carried on his practicing and studying the Fa as usual, his work unit dismissed him and his wife of just two months from their jobs without pay. They even asked him to think it over, while each day someone from his work unit visited, interrogated, threatened and coerced them. They were forced to write many pages of self-criticism to be turned in the next day. They were under constant mental pressure and torture, unable to get any decent rest.
I also did not sleep well and lost my appetite altogether. I was constantly afraid that they would arrest my son. I was also trying to help him write those self-criticizing papers. Nobody dared to visit us, the authorities even monitored our phone. Our activities were restricted, with people patrolling outside our house at night. We lost contact with other Falun Gong practitioners, afraid that we might implicate them. We could not read Teacher's newly published articles. After a while, my hair started to turn white, and I appeared to have gained quite a few years in age. My husband also suffered both mentally and physically because he could no longer practice Falun Gong, and was concerned about our son no longer having a job.
In order to escape from being persecuted, my husband, son, daughter-in-law and I moved away from our house in December 1999. Even though we lost our regular income, my son was still subjected to daily investigation and brainwashing. Because my son never gave in, his work unit administrators tried every imaginable means to force him to relent. On Christmas Eve the local police called us saying, "We took your son in, and you better bring some clothes for him." My husband and I nearly fainted. They finally arrested my son. I called a taxi right away, and I had to pay double that evening because of the holiday. By the time I arrived at the police station, the officer on duty told me to pay a 1,000 yuan fine the next day. Meanwhile they would release him with conditions. So my son got home well past midnight, and that was how my family spent Christmas Eve. This proved to be quite common later on.
In early 2000, my husband fell ill and was bedridden due to the neighborhood association, police, and work unit's constant harassment and coercion. His work unit still tried to get him to go to a public meeting to criticize and denounce his son. I told them, "He cannot get up anymore!" They replied, "We will send a car to pick him up." Later, I was forced to attend the public meeting. At the meeting I spoke out, "I wanted my son to practice Falun Gong to become a good citizen." Yet one of the CCP officials said, "You should have asked him to learn bad things!" In July 2000 my husband underwent surgery and was hospitalized. His work unit did not allow our son to attend to him, while still requesting him to attend the daily interrogations and brainwashing sessions. In the end I was the only one who could shoulder the task of looking after my husband. I suffered a lot both mentally and physically. Because my husband was retired, his work unit should have reimbursed his medical and hospital expenses. Yet they penalized us financially, by allowing reimbursement of only half of his bill. They allowed us only 300 yuan monthly for drug expenses. In December 2000, the local hospital could no longer treat my husband, and he had to be transferred to another hospital for a second surgery. This time they did not allow any reimbursement for drugs. I needed to borrow money to get my husband hospitalized at the other hospital, and my son was facing investigation and was not permitted to take care of his father. For more than a month, I was the only one who could sustain caring for my husband. I spent the New Year of 2001 at the hospital. During this month I did not have a place to live. Each day I slept on the floor for just a little while, with additional resting time just sitting on a small chair. Sometimes I went all day without eating a meal. I never had a chance to sleep taking off my clothes, nor did I take a bath since I had to take care of my husband, as well as worry about our son. I finally returned home a few days before the Chinese New Year 2001. Yet on Chinese New Year's Eve 2001, my son's work unit called me again, accusing him with six more charges. The phone never stopped ringing, whether the call was from the police, the law and judicial committee, or my work unit. The constant pressure and coercion was most unbearable.
They carefully planned to increase the persecution right after Chinese New Year 2001. At one of the public meetings to criticize and denounce, officials from the city Public Security Bureau, the neighborhood association, my work unit, and the TV station all came to organize the criticizing and denouncing meeting. That evening the whole meeting was televised. My relatives and friends became more frightened after watching the program. Some even scolded us, afraid that they could be implicated. I was tormented, yet I could not even tell my husband about it since his health was deteriorating rapidly and I was afraid that he could not bear such horrible news. My husband's weight dropped to only 35 kgs. (77 lb.) towards his final days. I could no longer stay up either, and passed out for three days and nights lying on the sofa. My second daughter had no choice but to resign her job to take care of us at home. With all of our money spent, my husband finally passed away leaving us with regret. After he died, no one dared to pay us a visit. Only two practitioners came by quietly to bring us Teacher's new articles and related materials. Because of the mental and physical torment, my hair was all white. I lost my teeth, and could not get out of bed. I just slept, and had no appetite. With my family broken and our relatives abandoning us, I finally left the city where we lived, and moved in with my second daughter, crying all along the way.
The authorities could not find me, so they persecuted my son even harder. Finally unwilling to bear the mental torture any further, my son resigned from his work unit. Because he was a Falun Gong practitioner, no other work unit dared to hire him after his resignation. The people in my son's original work unit cheered, "This time he will starve to death, and we will just see if he continues to practice Falun Gong." Without a job, my son had a hard time, yet he never gave up Falun Gong work. I continued to support my son by giving him all of my husband's funeral expense reimbursement (about 10,000 yuan). He and several practitioners used the money to make VCDs and flyers to clarify the truth.
Originally I planned to stay a while with my second daughter before returning home. Unexpectedly one day in 2002, someone knocked on the door. I opened the door and found my son outside. I was shocked and knew something happened. My son told me that two nights prior, he and two other practitioners went out to distribute flyers. The police arrested one of them and put him into a detention center. That practitioner's family disclosed my son's whereabouts to the police, so the police started looking for him. At that time it was just about a week or two since my daughter-in-law had given birth to their first child. My son immediately left home to escape from the police. He did not even dare to get on the train at the local train station. He came to his second sister to avoid the police for a while. No one could take care of his wife and their newborn baby. The police and neighborhood association people went in two squad cars to search my elder daughter's home. Since my elder daughter had no way to contact my son, they just camped at her home, waiting for him to call her, in order to search where my son was calling from. They even coerced her with dismissal from her job. My elder daughter was forced to tell them how to get hold of my second daughter on her cell phone. So they started to call my second daughter, threatening her to surrender my son, or else they would come search her home. This potentially would cost my second daughter her job. In order to avoid them finding out where my second daughter lived, she and I would take a bus to some far away place before answering her cell phone. Since we knew they could track the cell phone location, we had to get away from where we lived. After facing them head on we never relented, nor did we surrender my son.
Later, my second daughter went back quietly to where my son lived and took his wife and baby back. So my son's family and I continued living with my second daughter in constant fear. Each day, we continued studying the Fa without any interruption. I will never give up practicing Falun Gong. We got in touch with local fellow practitioners so that we could receive Teacher's new articles and lectures from them.
During the time we stayed with my second daughter, the city government where she lived offered to pay a 6,000 yuan reward for anyone disclosing the whereabouts of a Falun Gong practitioner, leading to his or her arrest and putting them in prison. My son and I could not return home. My son persisted with his faith in Falun Gong even without a job. I tried to do my best to support the local truth clarifying effort financially. After I used all the money that I had, I sold the house and gave 3,000 yuan to them to print more flyers, as well as giving my son's family some money for their living expenses.
In 2004, my second daughter and her husband immigrated to Canada. In order to apply for my immigration to avoid further persecution, they started working immediately in Canada. As soon as they qualified with enough income they applied for my immigration. Very fortunately, I immigrated to Canada in 2005.
As soon as I arrived, my second daughter helped me to find a practice site so that I could study the Fa and practice the exercises as I did previously. Every Saturday and Sunday, I go to the nearby practice site to do the exercises, and each Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. I join others to study the Fa at a fellow practitioner's home. On Friday evening we go to the University of Toronto for group Fa study. I also participate in various activities with other practitioners. I never cease telling people the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. I seize every opportunity, along with my fellow practitioners, to distribute flyers and pamphlets and to clarify the truth.
Ms. Kuang Yuliang, who is around 50, lived in Suining City, Sichuan Province. She started practicing Falun Gong in 1997. In 2000 and 2001, she was arrested several times for clarifying the facts about Falun Gong. She was also detained twice for more than six months each time. In addition, police extorted 8000 yuan from Ms. Kuang. In the Nanqiang Brainwashing Center, Ms. Kuang was charged 30 yuan per day for meals, but she was only given a bowl of watery porridge each day. For four months straight, the guards did not allow Ms. Kuang to wash her face or bathe. Ms. Kuang was cuffed continuously to the window in the brainwashing class for five months. Only her toe tips touched the floor. A perpetrator named Li Xu threatened Ms. Kuang to give up her belief in Falun Falun Gong. When Ms. Kuang said no or refused to respond, Xu forcefully kicked her. Since Ms. Kuang was firm in her belief, she got kicked so much that the injuries on her legs did not heal before she passed away. She was badly emaciated when she was finally released. The police often harassed her at home and prohibited her from going outside. Ms. Kuang passed away on June 14, 2005.
Ms. Yi Zhenyun, also in her 50s, was a retired worker in Pentang District, Changsha City, Hunan Province. Before practicing Falun Gong, she had suffered from muscular atrophy and rickets. Her back was also severely crooked. After she started practicing, her back straightened out, and her muscles were healed. In 2001, Ms. Yi was arrested and taken to the detention center. She was then beaten by an officer whose last name is Peng, from the Yuhua District Procuratorate in Changsha City. Ms. Yi's legs turned black and blue. She was transferred to Baimalong Forced Labor Camp in Zhuzhou City. Later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and paroled to seek medical attention. Since the police prohibited her from practicing Falun Gong, Ms. Yi passed away soon after her release.
Mr. Zhang Junwu, 63, was a retired government official in Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province. He became healthy after learning Falun Gong in 1995. He has been harassed and tortured since the persecution started. Following a wave of persecution in October 2002, Mr. Zhang's former illnesses recurred. Mr. Zhang passed away on December 15, 2002.
Ms. Guo Xiangfen, born in 1937, was a practitioner in Changchun. Before practicing Falun Gong, she had serious skin and liver disease and was unable to take care of herself. She became healthy after practicing, and she was able to do housework. In late 2000, Ms. Guo went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong, but she was arrested by the Shenyang City Police. She was held in Tiebei Detention Center for 9 days, during which time her 90-year-old father was left at home alone without care. Police frequently harassed her after her release. Her father died soon after. Ms. Guo herself passed away on December 2, 2001.
After the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting Falun Gong in 1999, Falun Gong practitioner Ouyang Youhua, from the town of Chengguan in Guiyang County, Hunan Province, was persecuted by officials from the Guiyang 610 Office, the Guiyang National Security Department and the Public Security Sub-bureau of Guiyang Baoshan Ore. Ouyang Youhua suffered illegal imprisonment, torture and forced labor. She was monitored, threatened and fined. Her daughter was detained for 15 days, and her husband, Li Jinbao, was illegally sentenced to 3 years in a forced labor camp in 2002. Ouyang Youhua's mental and physical health plummeted under the long-term persecution. She passed away after suffering a sudden stroke on June 9, 2005.
Ms. Ouyang Youhua was born in 1958. She lived at 38 Baihuaxin Village, Chengguan Town, Guiyang County in Hunan Province. Before she started cultivating Falun Gong in 1998, she suffered from high blood pressure and cerebral arteriosclerosis. After practicing Falun Gong for only six months she recovered from her illnesses. Her face became rosy as well. At that time, she had a 13-year-old daughter who began to study Falun Gong with her. The whole family lived in harmony. Later, her mother started to study Falun Gong too.
On January 6, 2001, the Guiyang County 610 Office detained Ms. Ouyang's husband, Li Jinbao, for 39 days and extorted fines of 3,000 yuan from their family using the excuse that Mr. Li had given a person with the last name of Xie some flyers about Falun Gong. On September 25, 2001, in collaboration with the Baoshan Public Security sub-bureau, the Guiyang 610 Office attempted to arrest Li Jinbao and send him to Chenzhou City for "transformation." To avoid persecution the couple was compelled to leave home and move from place to place. The Guiyang 610 Office and the Baoshan Public Security sub-bureau set up a special team to hunt for them.
On October 25, 2002, the couple was illegally arrested in Bolin Town, Yongxing County. Police Chief Xiao Runzhong, Gao Liping of the county's National Security Department, Zeng Qianyang, Qiu Huaisong, and other Baoshan Public Security Sub-bureau officials interrogated them using torture in the Guiyang County Party School (a school set up by the CCP to prepare members for leading posts or to train cadres). The police forced Ouyang Youhua to stand and did not allow her to sleep for five consecutive days and two nights. They forced her husband to stand and did not permit him to sleep for three days and two nights. Despite their brutal coercion, the authorities did not get any information from the practitioners, yet they still imprisoned them at Guiyang Detention Center for more than seven months.
On June 11, 2003, the county 610 Office fabricated that Li Jinbao and Ouyang Youhua had distributed 3,000 copies of Falun Gong truth-clarification materials to someone, and illegally sentenced the couple to a forced labor camp for three years. Li Jinbao was illegally imprisoned at Xinkaipu Forced Labor Camp in Changsha City. Ouyang Youhua was sentenced to Baimalong Forced Labor Camp, but due to exhibiting symptoms of serious hypertension, the labor camp refused to accept her. After bringing her back, the county 610 Office imprisoned her again at Guiyang Detention Center. One month later, Ouyang Youhua escaped from the detention center after an eight day hunger strike.
Having been imprisoned illegally for nine consecutive months, she was emaciated and weak. After going home, she kept studying the Fa and practicing the exercises, and her health gradually recovered, but the Chinese authorities never relaxed their persecution of her. People from the county 610 Office and the fourth residents' committee at Guiyang County frequently broke into her home to threaten and harass her. They often stalked her. In mid September 2004, several members of the residents' committee broke into her home again to harass her. Just after they left, Ouyang Youhua fell to the ground. A family member took her to the hospital. The doctor said it was a stroke. With the help of several fellow practitioners, Ouyang Youhua recovered fairly well from the stroke in just two weeks. On June 8, 2005, she experienced stroke symptoms once again. The next day, Ouyang Youhua passed away.
The Xingtai City Television Station fabricated and then broadcast a videotaped show about Mr. Xia Xingmin twice in order to defame Falun Gong. In the show, Mr. Xia was not allowed to say a word. All of the statements made were fabricated. This article exposes the plot behind-the-scenes, and also how Mr. Xia was persecuted while in jail.
Mr. Xia Xingmin, a Falun Gong practitioner from Loudouzhai Village of Guangzong County in Xingtai City, Hebei Province, is a former a cadre from the Long March Automobile Manufacturer. On the evening of September 28, 2001, a special team from the Qiaoxi Sub-Bureau Police Department in Xingtai City took Mr. Xia to the Mining Bureau Boarding House. Without any legal procedure, they severely beat Mr. Xia for 45 days.
1. Designing a Torture Device Specifically for Falun Gong Practitioners
Wei Jikao, the Deputy Political Commissar, led more than 10 policemen to handcuff Mr. Xia's hands behind his back and shackle his feet. They pushed him down to the ground, and put a stool over his lower back. A strong police officer sat on the stool and shocked his lower and upper back with electric batons. Mr. Xia was tortured nearly to death. Then they brought out a special iron chair. Wei Jikao to his boss, "This is a torture device specially designed for Falun Gong practitioners." Mr. Xia was forced to sit on that chair without moving for three consecutive days. His legs became very swollen, and he could not urinate. They used a leather belt to whip his entire body.
Wei Jikao then hit Mr. Xia's head with a two-foot long club until the club broke. They also beat practitioner Mr. Tao Qingen in the same way, even though Mr. Tao is over 60 years old. Then Wei hit their heads with his leather shoes until Mr. Tao Qingen lost consciousness and his skull fractured. Other policemen resented Wei Jikao's violent actions. Wei got scared, so he hastily got a doctor to rescue Mr. Tao. Practitioners Yang Guohui, Shan Jianmin, Fengximing, and Sun Ying were also severely beaten.
2. Fabricating News
After beating the practitioners so brutally, Wei wanted to deceive people and seek rewards from higher authorities, so he invited reporters from a television station to a banquet. Wei talked to Mr. Xia, as did reporters and an official from the government. They tried to force Mr. Xia to read from a script, but he firmly rejected their demands. He told them, "If you want me to speak, I will tell the truth. It is not wrong that we clarify the truth and expose the government's lies about Falun Gong. This is not illegal. We've benefited from practicing Falun Gong. I used to have a serious illness. It is Falun Gong that saved my life..."
After they heard that, they started beating Mr. Xia mercilessly again. In the end, they had to read their own script.
3. Mr. Xia Xingmin is Detained in Jail
Mr. Xia is now detained in the 1st Group of the 5th prison area of the 4th Prison in Shijiazhang. One day in July 2003, his older and younger brothers, his wife and his daughter came to visit him. They all cried when they saw him in such a miserable condition. His daughter couldn't stop crying. Mr. Xia was touched and said to his daughter, "You cry but you can still see me today. I would have left the world a long time ago if I had not practiced Falun Gong. That year I had terminal liver cirrhosis, and my heart beat intermittently. Your grandfather died of the same illness. The Chinese Communist Party persecutes Falun Gong, but we are not wrong to clarify the truth about Falun Gong..."
A few days later, when the director had a conversation with Mr. Xia, he told the director about his family's visit. The director asked him, "Are you still practicing?" Mr. Xia asked him a question instead of answering, "What's wrong with Falun Gong practitioners who follow 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance?' In the later stage of my illness, when hospitals could not help me, it was Falun Gong that saved my life. The government tries to force me to falsely accuse Falun Gong and to be ungrateful. Why is that? You really look like someone who is only ambitious about your personal power and never care about the lives of ordinary people " The director then asked, "Aren't you afraid of being sent to the torture room?"
Mr. Xia spoke sternly, "Are you not ashamed of mentioning the torture room? Using a torture called "boiling the hawk," which is sleep deprivation for several consecutive days, constant beatings and mistreating people, should our government treat good citizens like this?"
Before Mr. Xia practiced Falun Gong, his illness was beyond cure. For five years after he started to practice, he did not take a single pill. For over 30 years, his older sister had many illnesses, including high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, chronic insomnia, and incontinence. When she came to Mr. Xia's home, he told her about Falun Gong. That day his sister slept well without taking her sleeping pill. The very next day, she stopped taking medicine entirely. Six days after she listened to Teacher's lectures and watched the exercise videotape, her illnesses of 30 years disappeared without a trace.
Wherever Mr. Xia goes, he always clarifies the truth about Falun Gong to the people around him. Since July 20, 1999, when the persecution started, he has debated with policemen and cadres at every level of the government many times. He tells them, "The government's media are lying about Falun Gong. We are not committing any crimes by clarifying the truth and exposing the lies." When the court issued the written judgment, they knew they were not doing the right thing. They said, "This is not our fault, it is something from above."
Mr. Xia explained, "In order to exercise their despotic power, the authorities in the Central Party provoke people against people. The Central Party pressures the local governments, and higher authorities pressure the lower authorities. Those subordinates betray their morals and their conscience in order to keep their positions and get money or promotions. Eventually, the government and the Party will collapse and those who they have deceived will become their scapegoats."
In July 1999, Jiang's regime began slandering and persecuting Falun Gong. Ms. Deng Caijuan went to Beijing to appeal on July 24, 1999. She was detained and later escorted back to Guangzhou City by members of the Foshan Police Department. Since then, police from the local police station have frequently harassed and threatened her either by phone or in person. Under such pressure, Ms. Deng's parents lived in constant fear. Between March 2000 and February 2001, Ms. Deng was detained at a detention center.
Under pressure and persecution, Ms. Deng decided to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong once more on December 17, 2001, but she was arrested en-route at Guangzhou Train Station. Because she refused to tell the police her name and address, she was put in a detention center where over thirty practitioners were detained. Some of them had been there for several months. A room of only a few square meters held about 10 people. Even though the weather was very cold, practitioners' blankets and winter clothes were confiscated. Most of the time, practitioners were given only small amounts of food and water. They suffered hunger and cold. Some of them had not had a shower for several months. Practitioners were not allowed to go outside or purchase daily necessities. Some practitioners held hunger strikes, and they were dragged away for force-feeding. After being detained for 52 days, Deng was identified by the Foshan Police Department. Four days later on February 13, Ms. Deng was sent to Sanshui Women's Forced Labor Camp. After Ms. Deng left the detention center, other practitioners were sent to a mental hospital and were severely tortured.
Once at the Sanshui Women's Forced Labor Camp, the guards had two inmates monitor her day and night. They also had people to slander, scold and harass the practitioners there. They forced practitioners to write a guarantee statement. As time passed, the persecution became more severe. On November 19, 2002, Deng was transferred to Group 4, which normally detains inmates with criminal offenses. Deng refused to work or wear a uniform, so the guards had other inmates forcefully put the uniform on her and dragged her to the workshop. Some practitioners were dragged to workshops in handcuffs. Other practitioners who were on hunger strikes were dragged to the cafeteria. Sometimes the handcuffs cut into practitioners' flesh, exposing the bones. Some practitioners had blisters from the dragging.
Between December 23, 2002 and January 16, 2003, Deng was locked in a 10 square meter room on the third floor. Four guards and two inmates employed all type of torture methods trying to coerce her to write guarantee statements. The two inmates were Zhang Ling and Wang Aili. For 16 days straight, she was deprived of sleep. Whenever she started to doze off, the inmates put menthol on her eyes and inside her mouth. To keep her from sleeping, they beat her with a club, pulled her hair and scolded her loudly. For several days, they did not let her use the toilet. Deng had no choice but to urinate in her pants. Wang Aili used tissue to wipe up the urine on the floor and then stuffed the tissue in Deng's mouth. She then dragged Deng by the legs across the floor to clean up the remaining urine. Guard Tian Shuling punched Deng and shocked her with electric batons. Another guard, Yi, forced her to squat for long periods of time. As soon as Deng sat down from tiredness, Yi would use an electric baton to shock her.
On December 28, 2002, guard Yi cuffed Ms. Deng's hands behind her back and hung her from an iron window frame. Only her toes touched the floor, with her body bent over in a U shape. The pain was excruciating. Moreover, the inmates who were watching her intentionally swung her body back and forth to cause more pain.
Another time, guard Yi directed two inmates to strip off Deng's clothes. They then pulled her hands in opposite directions. They pulled until they had no strength left.
On January 1, 2003, guard Lu cuffed one of Deng's hands and hung her. Only her toes touched the floor. Hanging by one hand is much more painful than hanging by two hands. One hand bears the weight of the entire body. Her hands and feet felt like they were being cut by a knife. Even then, Lu still used the baton to shock her. Deng hung like this for over 10 hours. Both her hands and feet turned black and purple. It was extremely painful.
Deng was tortured for 25 consecutive days. In the nine days from December 23 to December 31, she only slept for a total of 13 hours. From January 1 to January 16, she was not allowed to sleep at all. She was on the verge of a total collapse. She could only stand for a few minutes before falling to the floor. If she did not quickly stand up, the police and inmates would beat and kick her.
One time, guard Yi directed two inmates to tape a pen onto Deng's hand. One inmate then held Deng's other hand and body while the other one held Deng's hand and wrote statements slandering Dafa. They also cuffed Deng's left hand, and tied her feet so they were hanging in the air. They then held Deng's right hand to write the so-called guarantee statements. The pain it caused was beyond words.
One day when Deng was half conscious, the guards tricked her into signing her name on guarantee statements, "If you think we are lying to you, you can get it back later." Under such condition, Deng signed her name. In the days after that, she felt miserable. When the police asked her how was Falun Gong, she told them, "Falun Dafa is really great. No matter what methods you use to torture and persecute me, I will not give up." When Deng asked to get those signed statements back, the guards refused.
On January 16, 2003, Deng was transferred back to the group with the other Falun Gong practitioners. Two inmates monitored her. They asked Deng to write a summary at the end of August. Deng wrote in the summary that the statements that she had signed during her half conscious state were void. At the beginning of September, Deng was locked in a room every day. She was forced to write guarantee statements. She was also forced to watch videos that slandered Falun Gong. She had to get up at 6:00 a.m. and was not allowed to sleep until midnight. On October 13, 2003, Foshan 610 Office officials took Deng to the Jiangwan Police Station. They tried to coerce her into writing the guarantee statements, but Deng refused. Deng's father and sister waited outside for her. Deng was finally let out after her family demanded her release.
There are no words to completely describe the persecution Deng Caijuan suffered in the labor camp. After she returned home, officials from the local 610 Office continued to harass Deng and her family. As a result, she and her family were under great pressure.
On April 8, 2003, police from the 610 Office again arrested Deng, charging her with giving money to other Falun Gong practitioners. Without any evidence, Deng was sent to a forced labor camp for three years. On May 10, 2004, she was sent to the Sanshui Forced Labor Camp.
Between May 23 and June 9, 2004, Deng was locked in a room on the fourth floor of Group 3, and was watched by two inmates. Four guards took turns every day verbally attacking her and forcing her to watch slanderous videotapes. On June 8, she was locked in a cell in the men's ward with two female inmates. Four female guards, four male guards and their helpers continued the same routine from 6:30 in the morning until midnight. This kind of psychological torture lasted over 40 days. Later, Deng was transferred to the group that normally keeps drug addicts.
In the twenty some days there, Deng worked daily. In August, Deng was locked in a room in the education building for over 20 days. The guards again took turns verbally attacking her. She was forced to get up at 6:00 a.m. For five days there, she was not allowed to sleep at all, and the rest of the time she was not allowed to sleep until 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. She was forced to watch 17 hours of slanderous videotapes every day. Deng never cooperated with them though. On September 24, she was transferred to Group 1 and had to work every day. Two inmates were assigned to watch her 24 hours a day.
From March to April 2005, police from various departments had talks with Deng daily from afternoon until midnight. This was in fact another form of psychological abuse. During the last year, the police often used this type of method to torment her.
Ms. Deng is still at the forced labor camp. Her parents are in
their seventies. Every time the police search her home, the family
members are horrified. Her mother has lost over 30 lbs. She said she
frequently worries about her daughter, not knowing if she will live or
die, and she has trouble sleeping at night. The entire situation that
Falun Gong practitioners and their families are suffering cannot be
expressed clearly in words.
1. [Luzhou City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Hu Jinbin from Naxi District Was Abducted
At 9:30 a.m. on July 19, 2005, Mr. Hu Jinbin got a phone call from his work unit (No. 7 Chemical Engineering & Construction Company) and was asked to go to the company to help take care of an emergency. Upon stepping out of his door, several police officers handcuffed him. Afterwards he was brought to his parents-in-law's residence and made to call at the door (they are all Falun Gong practitioners). After they opened the door for him, a gang of police swarmed in and separated the family members to keep watch over them. Then they ransacked the residence wantonly, and confiscated nine Falun Gong books, a tape of exercise music, 91 pieces of truth-clarification material, a laptop computer, a broadband server, an HP printer, a heat-calendar coating machine, an MP3 player, a radio, a cellular phone, and a palm pilot. Meantime, Hu Jinbin and his wife, Li Hong, were both taken away.
On the afternoon of July 19, Ms. He Shifang was also arrested on her way back home, and the police forced their way into her residence to ransack it. On the same day, Mr. Jiang Jirong was abducted, and his two computers, three printers and other tools were stolen.
On the morning of August 2, when Ms. Xiong Zhiying was returning home from grocery shopping, the police abducted her, and they took some Falun Gong materials and tools from her residence.
On the morning of August 11, Mr. Li Shusheng, Hu Jinbin's father-in-law, got a phone call from his work unit (Torch Factory) and was asked to go to the factory to deal with some important issues. Upon arriving at the factory, the police abducted him.
2. [Panjin City, Liaoning Province] Zou Liming Is Holding a Hunger Strike in Panjin City Forced Labor Camp
At about 2 p.m. on August 16, 2005, when Mr. Zou Liming was taking a rest in the Petroleum & Chemical Community of the No. 3 Plant, Liu Dahan and others from Panjin City Forced Labor Camp abducted him and took him to the labor camp. Currently he is holding a hunger strike.
In 2003, he was detained in Panjin City Forced Labor Camp and released for medical treatment after his health deteriorated there.
3. [Tianshui City, Gansu Province] Liu Xiaomin Arrested
Ms. Liu Xiaomin, a retired staff member from the Tianshui City Real Estate Company, suffered from polio, paralysis of the upper limbs, and walking difficulty since childhood. Medical treatments in every way proved to be useless. Since cultivating Falun Gong, she can walk nimbly, and is able to do some work on her own.
She went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and was sent back and illegally detained. Moreover, she was sentenced to a forced labor camp for one year. After returning home from the labor camp, she has been harassed by relevant personnel. On June 27, 2005, many staff members from the Tianshui City Police Department visited Liu Xiaomin's residence. They abducted her and took her to the Political Security Section and confiscated her computer, printer, CD burner, and some issues of Clearwisdom Weekly.
The Chief of Political Security Section, Qinzhou District Police Department, and Pei Guilin: 86-938-8281913
4. [Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region] Ms. Xi Hua Being Held in Yinchuan Women's Forced Labor Camp
In May 2005, when Ms. Xi Hua was distributing Falun Gong truth material, she was tracked and abducted by police from the Xixia District Police Department of Yinchuan City. Afterwards, she was sentenced to a forced labor camp for one and a half years, and is now being detained in the Yinchuan City Women's Forced Labor Camp. She once was sentenced to jail for three years.
Responsible units and people:
Phone number of the Yinchuan City Women's Forced Labor Camp:
86-951-4074562
Labor camp director: Tang Ning, 86-951-4086189 (Office), 86-951-8671689
(personal access phone)
Guard section: Zhao Xuehua, 86-951-4074562-105
State Security Group: 86-951-3065841, 86-951-3065847
Group Leader: Cui Shenghui, 86-13995178961 (Cell)
5. [Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province] Artist Wang Huimin Arrested and Taken to Sanshui City Brainwashing Class
On August 16, 2005, Ms. Wang Huiming, fine arts editor of Huacheng Publishing House in Guangzhou City was arrested and taken to the Sanshui City Brainwashing Class by plain clothes officers. Her family members were not allowed to see her.
When she had previously gone to Beijing to clarify the facts about Dafa, she was detained illegally in Changping County Police Department of Beijing and Dongshan Detention Center in Guangzhou City. Later she was detained in Chatou Forced Labor Camp and the Dongshan District Legal System School (brainwashing class), and subjected to torture from November 2001 to April 2003. She held a hunger strike and was released in April 2003 when she became critically ill.
Address of Huacheng Publishing House:
No. 11 Huanshi East Shuiyin Road, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province,
zip code: 510075
Switchboard: 86-20-37606288
Branch secretary of CCP, Liu, 86-20-37606288 -488
Director: Xiao, 86-20-3760628-516
Director of Guangdong Province 610 Office, Li Qiongyang, 86-13902237307
(Cell), 86-20-38866148 (Home)
Chief of Sanshui Legal System School (brainwashing class), Wang
Jiadong, 86-757-7317717
Guangzhou City 610 Office, 86-20-83116688 or 86-20-83193123,
86-20-83377877
Section Chief of Guangzhou City 610 Office, Zhang Qingsheng,
86-20-61382058
Tianhe District Police Department of Guangzhou City: 86-20-82321185
6. [Heilongjiang Province] Li Baochen Detained in Jixi City No. 2 Detention Center
Yu Dexin, Wu Yunfu, and other police officers from the State Security Group of the Didao District Police Department in Jixi City arrested Mr. Li Baochen from home at about 9:00 p.m. on July 20, 2005. He is currently being detained in Jixi City No. 2 Detention Center.
7. [Chongqing City] Zhao Kunbi Arrested and Sentenced to Jail for Three Years
Ms. Zhao Kunbi is in her 50s, works at the Chongqing City Ship Industrial Corporation, and lives in the Jiangbei District Tangjiatuo Dongfengsan Community. When she was posting Falun Gong truth materials on Jianguo Road on April 7, 2005, police officers patrolling the area arrested her. Currently she is being detained in Maojiashan Women's Prison in Jiangbei District, Chongqing City. It is reported that she was sentenced to jail for three years. Her family members not allowed to see her.
Leader of Group 4 (dedicated to the persecution of Falun Gong) of Maojiashan Women's Prison, Deng Lina, 86-32-67851870
Squadron leader of Group 4, Hu Xiaoyan
Squad leader of Group 4, Chen Yanyan, 86-32-67851870
Director of Maojiashan Women's Prison, 86-32-67720401
Political Commissar (dedicated to the persecution of Falun Gong) of
Labor Camp Bureau, Tu Deyu, 86-32-67528850
8. [Tianjin City] Several Falun Gong Practitioners in Hexi District Were Recently Secretly Arrested
On the morning of August 10, 2005, Ms. Guo Defen, who is in her 70s and lives in Hexi District Xiloubeili No. 6 Building, suddenly went missing and her whereabouts are unknown.
At the beginning of May, Ms. He Jintao, who is in her 50s, and lives at No. 19 Longchang Road, Hexi District, was arrested by police.
At the end of May, Ms. Hu Huiyang, who lives in Xiawafangnanhuali, Hexi District, was also missing suddenly, and her whereabouts are unknown.
9. [Langfang City, Hebei Province] Arrest of Wang Yuqin, Retired Staff Member of Military Police College
On the morning of August 16, 2005, Wang Yuqin, a retired staff member from Military Police College, as well as Tian from Yongqing County, Langfang City, were arrested when distributing Falun Gong truth material in Xixiao Community.
10. [Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province] Yu Bin Still Being Detained in Detention Center
Mr. Yu Bin from Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province was arrested by police on February 28, 2005, and has been detained in a detention center in Xinpu County since then.
Persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners at the Pingantai Forced Labor Camp in Lanzhou City in 2001
On February 6, 2001, the guards at Group 5 of Pingantai Forced Labor Camp in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province played slanderous videos. Falun Gong practitioners Wang Maolin, Shen Shiyong, Li Wenming and Chai Qiang shouted, "Falun Dafa is good!" The guards beat and kicked them, and shocked them with electric batons. In April, the guards at Group 5 tortured Falun Gong practitioners Li Wenming, Shen Shiyong, Niu Wanjiang, Lu Baoliang, Zhang Luchan and others.
The guards beat practitioner Song Yanzhao until they broke his ribs and his kidneys ruptured. He died from torture in May.
Practitioners Li Wenming, Zhang Luchan, Qian Shiguang, Shen Shiyong and Zhang Feng refused to cooperate with the guards and were held in solitary confinement for between 20 and 39 days. Warden Ma Youshan beat practitioner Qian Shiguang many times.