Nearly 20 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Fushun City, Liaoning Province

At 7 a.m. on September 25th, 2012, nearly 20 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and detained in Fushun City. Police officers broke in and handcuffed them after verifying their names. They confiscated their personal belongings including bank deposit slips. Officers scaled the fence and broke the lock on the door to get in. They also threatened to shoot anyone who tried to run away. They also detained the practitioners' friends and relatives who happened to come over to visit. If they were Falun Gong practitioners, they were arrested. Some relatives were later released after they were arrested and taken to Fushun City.

Practitioners known to have been arrested were: Liu Liying, Jiang Yan, Wang Fajun, Jia Yunlong, Liu Haitao, Liu Bin, Li Wensong, Liu Yulan, Li Hengliang, Hu Fengju, Zhang Guangying, Gai Yongjie, Liu Yingjie, Dong Zhuangnan, Fu Wenquan, etc. Liu Haitao and Liu Bin were brutally beaten during their arrest. Relatives of the arrested practitioners filed a lawsuit against the police in Fushun City.

It was reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) implemented a so-called F08 special case action across the entire province to persecute Falun Gong practitioners. Yang, vice director of Fushun City Police Department, took the lead, Gao Bing did the planning, and officers from Fushun City Police Department, including Fushun National Security Office and the Dongzhou, Shunchen, and Qingyuan County police departments, were all involved. Before 3 a.m. on September 25th, they all gathered at the Fushun Police Department with their hand guns, handcuffs, tape, and digital cameras. They dressed in plainclothes, did not drive marked police vehicles, and planned to arrest 16 people. About 40 to 50 police officers participated.

On September 25th, a small van, its license plate covered, parked downstairs at the home of practitioner Ms. Liu Liying. About seven or eight officers hid near the entrance. More than 110,000 yuan¹ in cash was confiscated from Ms. Liu’s home. Including the money on the bank card, over 160,000 yuan was confiscated. (Ms. Liu intended to use the funds to purchase a car and open a food store.) Officers also confiscated over 40 telephones, one PC, one printer, and over 40 books.

Ms. Liu’s husband, who had just been home a few days, was handcuffed and taken away, too. His wrists were swollen due to the tight handcuffs. Ms. Liu Liying’s friend, Xiao Yan, had just stopped by to visit and also got arrested. Police officers pulled Xiao Yan out of the car.

Practitioners Liu Haitao and Liu Bin were brutally beaten by the police. All the neighbours heard it.

Mr. Gai Yongjie was arrested at his home, which was ransacked. Officers confiscated over 400 or 500 yuan on the bookshelf, his computer, printer, DVD burner, and other personal belongings. Officers were waiting at Mr. Gai’s home on the third floor. Whoever knocked on the door was arrested. Mr. Gai’s friend, Zhao Fengmin; his sister in-law; and his sister in-law’s sister, who were visiting Mr. Gai, were all were arrested. They were released that evening.

Four officers broke into the home of Ms. Liu Yulan. Another seven or eight other officers joined in. They first handcuffed Ms. Liu, verified her name, then they started to confiscate money and personal items. They took two bank deposit slips worth over 5000 yuan, about 100 yuan cash in the drawer by the bed, a pocketbook with about 1500 yuan in cash, and other personal belongings which are worth over 1000 yuan cash. It was reported that Ms. Liu passed out after the police handcuffed her. When the ambulance arrived, her blood pressure was 200 (Ms. Liu had severe heart disease and high blood pressure in the past). The doctor said she could die at any time. She was taken to hospital for treatment. Police officers called Ms. Liu’s daughter over and then left. Ms. Liu’s current condition is unknown.

Mr. Wang Fengjun has an elderly, sick mother and a son in elementary school at home. Mr. Wang took care of the family, including cooking, washing clothes, and doing household chores. Now his mother and his son are tearfully looking forward to his return every day.

Zhang Guangying went to Mr. Li Wensong’s home to visit. He was arrested and is still detained.

Fushun City police officers are violating law and creating social unrest, as the people in Qingyuan have personally witnessed.

Note

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