Former County Government Official Persecuted Due to His Beliefs

Name: Kou Chuangjin
Gender: Male
Age: 59
Address: Cement Plant Community, Xifeng District, Qingyang, Gansu Province
Occupation: Government official

Date of Most Recent Arrest: June 29th, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Detention centre
City: Qingyang
Province: Gansu
Persecution Suffered: Detention, home ransacked, extortion, denied visitation

Falun Gong practitioner Kou Chuangjin is a former county-level government official in the Qingyang Business Bureau. At approximately 4:00 p.m. on June 29th, over ten police officers from the Criminal Police Brigade of the Xifeng District Public Security Bureau in Qingyang surrounded his home. They drilled through his anti-theft door, and broke into his home. They arrested Mr. Kou, and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

Mr. Kou was held in the Xifeng District Criminal Police Brigade for two days, and subsequently taken to a detention centre close to Longdong School in Balimiao, Xifeng District.

When the police broke into Mr. Kou's home, they first asked about his wife Li Ruihua's whereabouts. Ms. Li was previously forced to leave home due to the persecution, leaving the elderly and young family members unattended. Their relatives are taking care of them now.

Before practising Falun Gong, Mr. Kou suffered from severe hepatitis, stomach aches, and headaches. He couldn't eat normally, and vomited often, even from sipping water. He tried different treatments, but none of them actually helped. He developed a bad temper, and would often drink alcohol and play Mahjong. He never did housework, and didn't get along with his wife, Li Ruihua. However, after he started practising Falun Gong, he followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in his daily life. Now, he cultivates himself to be a good person, and thinks of others first. Miraculously, all his illnesses disappeared, and he developed a harmonious family life. Everyone around him in the Qingyang Government offices knew that his illnesses and addiction to smoking and Mahjong were eliminated through practising Falun Gong. He became a completely new person, and was highly praised.

On July 20th, 1999, the Jiang Zemin, [former leader of China and instigator of the persecution] regime started persecuting Falun Gong, and the Qingyang Municipal Party Committee, the 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong), the Department of Politics and Law, and the Organisation Department tried to force Mr. Kou to sign a “repentance statement” to quit practising Falun Gong. Mr. Kou refused, so officials gave him an “administrative demerit”. Later, they twice cancelled his opportunities for promotion. In September 1999, the Xifeng District Public Security Bureau couldn't locate his wife, so they took Mr. Kou into custody, criticising him for not being able to monitor her.

In 2001, officers from the Heshui County Public Security Bureau in Qingyang broke into Mr. Kou's home in an attempt to arrest his wife; however, she wasn't there so they arrested Mr. Kou and ransacked his home. They waited at his home hoping to arrest his wife. During that time, Mr. Kou's daughter Kou Juanjuan was the only family member left at home. Police occupied Mr. Kou's home for three days and nights, and didn't allow Kou Juanjuan to leave, let alone go to school. Under this great pressure, she called her relatives, who later went to the Public Security Bureau to request an explanation for these actions. The police subsequently moved out of Mr. Kou's home. Later, the police harassed Kou Juanjuan at school several times, making her look bad in front of her teachers and classmates.

In May 2002, the Xifeng District Public Security Bureau arrested Mr. Kou at work, and held him at the Xifeng District Drug Addiction Treatment Centre for half a month. Mr. Kou questioned the reason for his detainment. The police denied that he was being held in an actual prison. Mr. Kou replied that it was indeed a prison, because they had deprived him of his freedom. Unable to provide a reason for his detainment, the police subsequently released him.

In 2004, Mr. Kou's workplace removed his responsibilities, and harassed him often. Overall, the past twelve years haven't been peaceful for him, due to the constant harassment.

Mr. Kou's wife Li Ruihua was also persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party for a long time. She was detained in the Lanzhou City Ping'antai No. 1 Forced Labour Camp for one year. After her release from the labour camp, she was forced to leave home to avoid further persecution. Later, the Xifeng District Public Security Bureau lied to her family, announcing that she was allowed to return home and promised no further persecution. However, when she returned, she was immediately given a three-year prison sentence. She was released in 2005; however, she wasn't able to take care of herself due to the abuse she endured in prison. Her joints were swollen and she suffered intense pain when walking. She even needed help from her husband to remove her clothes. All the housework was done by Mr. Kou. Although several years have passed, her hands are still swollen and in pain. She has no strength in her arms, and can't even hold a baby. Mr. Kou took care of their grandson.

Mr. Kou's daughter Kou Juanjuan was constantly threatened by police, and her parents were arrested many times. She was greatly affected by this, and went into a state of depression. Whenever the depression surfaces, she shouts at others. Sometimes, she experiences physical twitching, even during class. She was forced to quit school at the school's request. She becomes very emotional and angry whenever she sees police officers. When Li Ruihua was away from home due to the persecution, Mr. Kou took care of their daughter by himself.

A few months ago, Mr. Kou brought his mother from his younger brother's home in the countryside to his home. Officers from the Criminal Police Brigade of Xifeng District Public Security Bureau ransacked Mr. Kou's home in front of his mother, without consideration for her. They took Mr. Kou away, leaving his home a mess. His mother was so traumatised that she has been bedridden since. She cries every day and eagerly waits for her son to return. She is unable to sleep or eat well. Mr. Kou's arrest was not only a shock to his mother, but also to his daughter.

Since his detainment, the family hasn't been allowed to visit him. When he was arrested, he was told that he would be detained for a week. One week has passed, yet he is still being detained. He was ordered to sign a “repentance statement,” but he refused.

Note: The original Chinese article gives detailed information on the personnel involved in the persecution of Mr. Kou.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2011/7/20/244151.html