Mr. Zhao Chunlei from Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, Arrested

Name: Zhao Chunlei
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Address: Unknown
Occupation: Employee of a Shijiazhuang City company
Date of Most Recent Arrest: September 8th, 2011
Most Recent Place of Detention: Unknown
City: Shijiazhuang
Province: Hebei
Persecution Suffered: Harassment, extortion, detention

Officers from Dongfeng Road Police Station harassed the employees of a company located on Xiumen Street in Shijiazhuang City at around 12:30 p.m. on September 8th, 2011. Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhao Chunlei and two other employees were arrested.

At lunch break that day, Mr. Zhao Chunlei was about to prepare a simple lunch at his workplace, when he suddenly heard urgent knocking at the door of his business. Looking through a window, he saw police vehicles outside. Mr. Zhao's company is a legal business, and his honest business practices and sincerity have earned recognition and praise from his business partners. The staff immediately knew that the police had come to harass them, so no one responded to the knocks.

The police called for a locksmith and had the door opened. About ten police officers rushed in and sprayed hot pepper spray into the eyes of the employees, who were immediately in great distress.

Mr. Zhao stood up to stop the police's evil deeds, and four officers ganged up to hold him down.

The police searched everywhere, and took four computers and scanners, which left the employees unable to work or maintain regular contact with their customers. The police harassed the employees and ransacked the business for nearly four hours before taking away Mr. Zhao and two of the employees.

Mr. Zhao's wife heard the news and hurried over. She saw that the police had handcuffed Mr. Zhao, and his hands were bleeding. She told the police not to treat Mr. Zhao like that, because he hadn't recovered from major surgery a year before. The police wouldn't listen to her, and forced their three detainees to each to pay 5,000 yuan¹ in extortion.

The next day, on September 9th, one employee was released, but Mr. Zhao and another employee were still held at the local police office. When Mr. Zhao's wife went to visit them, officers told her that Mr. Zhao had been transferred to a location in Taihua Street where Falun Gong practitioners are specifically held, which may be a brainwashing facility. They refused to allow Mr. Zhao's wife to see him.

Dongfeng Road Police Station: +86-311-86013794

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2011/9/11/246541.html