Four Falun Gong Practitioners from Li County, Hebei Province Sent to Labour Camp

About 8 p.m. on April 23rd, 2012, agents from Li County Public Security Bureau, Domestic Security Division, 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) and a local Police Station arrested Li County Falun Gong practitioners in several locations including, Ms. Xie Aman in Donghe Village, Xinxing Town; Mr. Wu Ruixiang in Nanguan Village, Chengguan Town; Ms. Xie Hongcai in Chenyanying Village, Daqudi Township; and Mr. Li Ergang in Dongliuqing Village.

Without any legal process, Wu Ruixiang and Li Ergang were immediately sent to Handan Forced Labour Camp, Xie Aman and Xie Hongcai to Hebei Women's Forced Labour Camp; and Xie Hongcai was sent home because she was showing symptoms of illness.

Liu Wenli, the Deputy Director of Public Security Bureau, led many of his staff and 610 Office agents to surround the home of Falun Gong practitioner Xie Aman. The agents climbed over a wall, arrested Xie Aman, ransacked her home, confiscated a large quantity of Falun Gong materials, and videotaped the process.

Xie Aman became healthy and good-tempered after she began practising Falun Gong. She takes care of her grandson every day, as well as her elderly mother who is in her seventies. Since Xie Aman was arrested, her daughter-in-law has had to take care of two young children and her grandmother.

When 10 agents from the Public Security Bureau, Chengguan Police Station, and 610 Office arrested Wu Ruixiang (also known as Da Guo) in his home, they took over 80 yuan from him. Eight to nine people ransacked his home, and filmed his spouse and nephew.

In Nanguan people all give Wu Ruixiang a thumbs up because he helps anyone in the village who needs help on a small or big matter, and does the most strenuous and tiring work. However he never asks for help in return.

After he was taken to Handan Forced Labour Camp, his wife went to the Public Security Bureau to find out where he was. Domestic Security Division chief Wang Junchang lied and told her that her husband had not been arrested and he did not know where her husband was. Mrs. Wu, angry and weeping, rebuked Wang Junchang: “Not arrested by you, but directed by you. After Ruixiang practised Falun Gong, he stopped gambling, drinking, and fighting. There is no one to do the house work and farm work now, his mother, in her eighties, needs his care. I won't leave if you do not tell me his whereabouts.” Wang Junchang had to give her the notice of Mr. Wu being sent to the forced labour camp. This notice should have been given to the family before Mr. Wu was sent away. However, Wang Junchang broke the law while in charge, oppressed good people, and didn't always notify the family of those he had incarcerated.

Li County Public Security Bureau of Baoding, Hebei colluded with 610 Office, Liushi Sub-bureau, and Qudi Township Police Station, and led by Chen Yanguan and Yan Zhiguo (village party secretary), took about 40 people and broke into the home of Xie Hongcai in Yanying Village, Daqudi Township. They arrested Xie Hongcai, and took 200 yuan¹ and a mobile phone from her husband's briefcase.

In 2011, Li County 610 officers colluded with local police, and took Xie Hongcai, who was working on the farm, to Li County Brainwashing Centre. After she escaped, evildoers found her home, and forced her husband to hand her over. He was annoyed about the unprovoked arrest of his wife, and had a conflict with the officers. The police threatened to arrest not only Xie Hongcai, but also her husband and child. The family was scared and left home to avoid persecution.

When Xie Hongcai came back to attend her father-in-law's funeral, she was arrested again. Actually, when Xie Hongcai arrived at her home she didn't bring any Falun Gong materials. The police planted DVDs and other materials on a bed, and took photos.

After Mr. Li Ergang was sent to Handan Forced Labour Camp, when his wife visited him for the second time, she was shocked to see that he was emaciated, his eyes were glazed and dull, and no matter what she said he looked lost, shook his head, and said, “I do not know.” During the whole conversation, he could only say: “do not know, not converted, not sign [indicating that he had refused to sign a statement giving up Falun Gong].” He had suffered so much in just one month at the labour camp.

Li Ergang has elderly parents that are over 80-years-old, and an unmarried child. He and his wife work hard to support the family. In the business world, he is conscientious, works hard and earnestly, is smart, and is a trusted business partner. At home, he and his wife are dedicated to looking after the elderly parents, raise their children, and have a happy and stable family.

Such a peaceful family instantly collapsed when Li Ergang was sent to a labour camp for just wanting to be a good person. The elderly parents cry every day, and can't understand why such a good son was arrested and incarcerated.

His wife could not accept this reality, the entire family burden fell on her shoulders, with the elderly parents and children to look after, she has to do the housework and farm work. Left with no alternative, Li Ergang's wife asked around for help. She also spent lots of money to get him freed. Sadly, her husband has became incoherent from the persecution.

Note

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