Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted by the National Security Department of Zhoukou City, Henan Province

On January 17th, 2008, a group of police officers from the National Security Department of the Shabei Public Security Division, in Zhoukou County, Henan Province, led by He Chenggong and Han Yong, forcibly entered practitioner Mr. Zhang Siying's home. The officers announced that they were looking for a satellite dish. The officers acted without regard for legal procedures. They searched the home and seized a TV, DVD player, and an MP3 player, along with other valuable items.

The officers were inconsiderate of the fact that Mr. Zhang Siying was quite weak due to his imprisonment and persecution over the past several years. Officers Han and He directed the other men to twist his arms and take him to the police station, where he was put in a jail cell.

Mr. Zhang's mother is in her eighties, in poor health, and therefore dependent upon Mr. Zhang for care. When the officers searched Mr. Zhang's home, they broke the windows in her room, even though it was winter. This hardship caused the elderly lady to suffer, in addition to the fact that the police took away her son.

Mr. Zhang is a veteran soldier and had many illnesses due to his service in the army. He recovered his health after learning Falun Gong and was able to lead a normal life, but after July 20th, 1999, when the persecution began, he has been arrested, detained and imprisoned nine times. He has undergone several torture sessions which included brutal beatings, "tying the ropes¹," being hung up by his hands cuffed behind his back, and violent forced feeding. As a result, his body has sustained multiple injuries.

After the police officers searched Mr. Zhang's home, the police continued their activities at the Mechanical Packaging Factory in Zhoukou City, and arrested several practitioners who worked there. The officers arrested Ms. Jiang Li, interrogated her and put her in jail.

Both Mr. Zhang Siying and Ms. Jiang Li were released from prison just prior to the Chinese New Year.

After officer He Chenggong was assigned the position of captain for the National Security Department, and supported by associate chief Zhou Guilian, he partnered with associate captain Han Yong to escalate the surveillance, monitoring, harassment and arrest of Falun Gong practitioners. In November 2007, they also conducted a search of the elderly practitioner Ms. Cheng Qingfu's house.

Note

1. Tying the ropes - With both arms tightly tied behind the back, both feet off the ground or only the toes barely touching the ground, one is hung from a high place with rope. Sometime there are sharp sticks on the rope. When the rope is tightly fastened, the rope will cut into one's flesh, which is extremely painful.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/4/7/175965.html