(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Qian Yongju and Ms. Ran Fang were illegally arrested on January 27, 2016, for suing the former Chinese dictator, Jiang Zemin.
Both ladies were arrested by the Cuidong Police Station in Benxi City, Liaoning Province. They were illegally detained for five days and released on February 1, 2016.
Ms. Qian Yongju
Three police officers from the Cuidong Police Station came to Ms. Qian's home at 6:30 p.m. on January 27. Ms. Qian refused to open the door for them. She told them she sued Jiang Zemin according to Chinese law, but the police kept knocking for more than ten minutes.
The police threatened, “We will come here every day if you do not open the door.” Ms. Qian opened the door and let them in.
Police searched the home briefly before taking Ms. Qian to the police station. She was detained for five days.
Ms. Qian was monitored by police starting in July 2015. They frequently came to knock on her door and harass her. One time, she was forced to stay in her home for over two months to avoid police harassment. She survived on the limited food in her home. While becoming emaciated, she even ate the grain inside the pillows.
Ms. Ran Fang
Officers from the Cuidong Police Station came to Ms. Ran's home on January 27, but she was not home. They then went to Ms. Ran's workplace, arrested her, and took her to the police station.
The police interrogated her for suing Jiang Zemin. Ms. Ran told them, “Suing Jiang Zemin is my right, which is protected by Chinese law. And it is illegal to expose the private information of the plaintiffs.”
Police took Ms. Ran back to her home and tried to ransack it. Ms. Ran and her son refused to cooperate. Later, officer Yi Zhiming and three other officers opened Ms. Ran's door with a previously confiscated key, but without the permission of Ms. Ran's family.
They did not find anything but Chinese New Year pictures and couplets for Chinese New Year with the words Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The officers decided to confiscate the couplets as proof of her practicing Falun Gong.
“What is wrong with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance?” Ms. Ran asked them. “Why are you taking these? It's not good for you to do this.”
The police said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are Falun Gong's principles. We are taking these as evidence.”
Detained for Five Days
Ms. Qian and Ms. Ran refused to sign any statements during the arrest, but they were forced to have their photos taken and to give their fingerprints. They were taken to the Benxi City Detention Center on the night of January 27.
Some police knew they were innocent, so during the physical examination, the doctors asked why no policewoman was present. The police told the doctors, “Falun Gong practitioners are not breaking the law. There is no need to watch them while they are being examined.”
Both ladies were released on February 1.
