(Minghui.org) Ms. Jiang Chunyan, a Falun Gong practitioner from Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, was arrested on January 21, 2012. She was locked up in the Lucheng Detention Center in Wenzhou and then illegally sentenced to 3 years and 2 months in prison. Recently, the 610 Office has also intensified the persecution of Ms. Jiang's husband, Mr. Xu Xiaohai.
Ms. Jiang Chunyan and her daughter
Ms. Jiang Chunyan is from Lucheng District in Wenzhou. She had many illnesses from an early age, including cardiac disease, allergies, gastric disorder and gynecological issues. She had heart surgery and once even attempted suicide to end her suffering. However, her illnesses completely disappeared after she began practicing Falun Gong in 1995. She felt as if she had been given a new life.
She strictly followed Falun Gong principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, treating others with tolerance, kindness and understanding. She contributed money to the victims of an earthquake and impoverished children, so that they could attend school. She donated things to public welfare and contributed several thousand yuan to whitewash a wall in a public corridor that was filthy. She often gave up her seat on the bus, even though she was over 50 years old. She was regarded as a good citizen within her community, and her neighbors often praised her.
Nevertheless, she and her family have been persecuted for their faith by the authorities, including the Wenzhou City 610 Office.
On the morning of August 16, 2010, personnel from the 610 Office surrounded Ms. Jiang's home with police vehicles in an attempt to arrest her husband, Mr. Xu Xiaohai, and take him to a brainwashing center. The agents wanted to stop Mr. Xu and Ms. Jiang from going out to distribute informational materials about Falun Gong. They locked the family inside and cut off their electricity and water supply. When Ms. Jiang came out to demand that they restore the water and electricity availability, she was intercepted by the residential committee staff and then arrested by the local police and sent to a brainwashing center. She continued to clarify the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution in detention and began a hunger strike to protest the unlawful detention. She was released after developing severe symptoms after refusing to eat for three days.
On January 21, 2012, Ms. Jiang gave an amulet with words about Falun Gong to a girl who asked her for directions at a bus stop. She was then arrested and taken to the Lucheng District Detention Center. Police searched her bag and found Falun Gong informational materials and some amulets. However, they did not have any suitable evidence to charge her according to legal regulations.
Ms. Jiang's defense attorney from Beijing argued at the court hearing: “There isn't sufficient evidence in this case. The facts aren't clear. The indictment charging Ms. Jiang with practicing an 'evil religion' and violating the law can't be substantiated. Ms. Jiang hasn't violated any criminal laws. You should release this innocent person.” Nevertheless, the court, under the orders from the 610 office, sentenced Ms. Jiang to 3 years and 2 months in prison. The family members and friends who attended the court hearing, along with the defense lawyer, were indignant at the injustice of this sentence.
In mid-January 2012, about a week prior to Ms. Jiang's arrest, Ms. Huang Xiujuan, a Falun Gong practitioner who had previously been arrested and disabled through torture at a brainwashing center, asked Ms. Jiang to call the Lucheng District 610 Office to seek justice and compensation for her. Yu Guoren from the 610 Office answered the phone when Ms. Jiang called. He wasn't willing to compensate Ms. Huang financially and denied that she had been persecuted in detention. He also viciously slandered Falun Gong. Ms. Jiang couldn't tolerate his words and told him that he was crude and didn't deserve to be a government employee. This conversation was recorded. Ms. Huang passed away in February 2012 as a result of the persecution.
Ms. Jiang has been locked up in Lucheng District Detention Center since her arrest. Her family has been deprived of their visitation rights and fear that she may be in critical condition.
In May 2012, the Wenzhou Domestic Security Division also colluded with the Lucheng District Domestic Security Division and the 610 Office to arrest Ms. Jiang's husband, Mr. Xu. They brought him to the Xinchang Brainwashing Center in Shaoxing City and held him there for over 2 months. Afterward, officials attempted to transfer him to the Wenzhou City Detention Center, but he was not admitted due to high blood pressure. Mr. Xu was placed under surveillance upon his release. Recently, Jiang Weigang from the Wenzhou City 610 Office transferred his case to the Lucheng District Procuratorate, seeking to persecute him more severely.
