Ms. Liu Yanjun and Other Falun Gong Practitioners Still Detained; Police Officers from Changchun Continue Fabricating Lies

Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Liu Yanjun, Ms. Liu Yanchun, and Mr. Jiang Tao from Tianfujiayuan in the Erdao District of Changchun were arrested on September 13th, 2012, and have now been held for over four months. This represents the second instance of persecution by the Erdao District Police Sub-bureau involving these practitioners. The case has now been sent to the Erdao District Procuratorate.

The Erdao District Procuratorate scheduled a public hearing on January 11th, 2013. The family attended and was received by the Procuratorate, Deputy Attorney Shao Tingxue, and Prosecutor Chen Yu. The family stressed that their relatives hadn't committed any crimes, were wrongfully accused, and that the law enforcement officers had actually violated the law. They stated that the case had been handled and none of the purported witnesses were legitimate. Shao claimed that they would start checking on their cases as soon as possible, and then set up a meeting to discuss things further. He also requested that the family not return due to the harsh weather.

Ms. Liu's father stated that his daughters had been arrested in the summer, but it was now almost the Chinese New Year and he has yet to see them. Detention centre staff wouldn't even allow him to pass on winter clothing to his daughters. Prosecutor Chen Yu claimed, “They've been dressed very warmly and are in good spirits.” The family replied, “Then why did a doctor from the centre call us and ask us to find our medical insurance cards to prepare for their hospitalisation? They also said that Ms. Liu needed medication to lower her blood pressure. Ms. Liu was in good health before her arrest and seldom sick, so she never took medication. So why does she need medication now?” Considering that this persecution at the detention centre was now exposed, her family was even more worried. Chen Yu claimed that if they were sick, they'd be taken to a hospital associated with the forced labor camp, and the family should forget about bailing them out to receive medical treatment outside.

Prior to this conversation, Ms. Liu's 90-year-old father was very worried about his daughter. He went upstairs to look for the attorney, but a manager (last name Du) from the Appeals Department in the Procuratorate claimed that he'd tried to attack government officials. Du threatened him, saying that he would press charges against his family.

There has been a lot of snow in Changchun this year, and the roads have been icy and quite slippery. Ms. Liu's elderly father traveled back and forth in these poor conditions to see his daughter, but he was never given any information about her condition. Apparently, the Political and Judicial Committee of Erdao District had held a meeting with the police, Procuratorate, and judicial departments to discuss how to proceed against Ms. Liu.

Mr. Jiang Tao was just leaving neighbour Ms. Liu Yanjun's home on September 13th, 2012, when plainclothes officers from the Heshunjie Police Station in the Erdao District arrested him and took him away. A witness stated that several officers were hidden in the bushes near her home. He heard footsteps coming from the door and saw Mr. Jiang's mouth being covered as he was carried into a vehicle with no license plate and taken away.

Personnel from the Domestic Security Division of Erdao District Police Sub-bureau, along with Zhuang Shun, deputy head of the Heshunjie Police Station; Yu Haiyang, team leader; Li Zhong; and Zhang Xiaofeng led a group of plainclothes officers to break into the practitioners' homes and arrested Ms. Liu Yanjun and Ms. Liu Yanqiu, who are siblings. They also attacked Ms. Liu Yanchun, who was on her way to deliver food to her father. Officers covered her mouth to keep her from calling out and arrested her. Officials also arrested Ms. Liu Yanqiu's husband work. The three sisters' homes were ransacked. The police also harassed Ms. Liu Yanjun's father.

Ms. Liu Yanjun, Ms. Liu Yanqiu, and Ms. Liu Yanchun are in their 60s and retired. They have been practising Falun Gong and holding themselves to the standard of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They have taken good care of their father, and their kindness has been witnessed by their neighbours. Following their sudden arrests, their father experienced high levels of stress and subsequent loss of hearing that night. Ms. Liu Yanjun's husband is nearly 70 and very frail. After he heard this news, he was bedridden for a month.

Mr. Jiang Tao is 36 years old. In 2000, he was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment. He was held in Daguang Detention Centre in Changchun, then in Balibao Detention Centre, Tiebei Prison, and Jilin Prison. He was persecuted for nine years and released in 2009. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officers told him to work with them, but he refused. He has also held himself to the standards of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Ms. Liu Yanjun, Ms. Liu Yanchun, and Mr. Jiang Tao are now in the No.3 Detention Centre. As of September 13th, over 20 practitioners have been arrested in the Erdao District alone. The Changchun No.3 Detention Centre was filled with practitioners. Moreover, during a Judicial Bureau staff meeting, they clearly stipulated that lawyers would not be allowed to defend practitioners. With the CCP's 18th Congress in progress, police department staff fabricated evidence to illegally charge practitioners. Officials categorised these as a “major” cases, leading them to fabricate criminal activity, arrest, bring to trial, and wrongfully sentence practitioners.

In order to persecute Ms. Liu Yanjun, Ms. Liu Yanchun, and Mr. Jiang Tao, Erdao District Police Sub-bureau staff transferred the fabricated case to the main Erdao District, but it was returned due to a lack of evidence. Erdao District Police Sub-Bureau officials transferred the case again to Erdao District Procuratorate on December 20th.

Ms. Liu Yanjun's father, husband, and younger brother have been traveling back and forth between the detention centre, police station, police sub-bureau and Procuratorate to try to rescue her. Officials handling their case continue to shirk their responsibilities in order to avoid dealing with the family. Mr. Jiang Tao was arrested again only a few years after his release. During the past ten years, his elderly parents have gone to many different locations to appeal this injustice and have nowhere to turn for help.

Contact information:
Erdao District Procuratorate in Changchun
Shao Tingxue, deputy attorney: +86-13604402337 (Mobile)

Chen Yu, Public Appeals Department: +86-431-86102111-8522 (Office), +86-15543136650(Mobile)
Chu Lianwen, attorney, Erdao District Procuratorate
Jiang Boren, deputy attorney
Du, manager of the Appeals Division
Address: 3358 Dongsheng Road, Changchun, 130033
Qu Jie, head of Erdao District Police Sub-bureau
Miao Xin, team leader, Domestic Security Division

Persons handling their case:
Jin Chenlong, deputy manager: +86-15904406625(Mobile), +86-431-84942237 (Office)
Heshunjie Police Station in Erdao District:
Fan Guoli, head: +86-15904406757 (Mobile)
Ma Xiaofeng: + 86-15904406191 (Mobile)
Yu Haiyang: +86-15904406639(Mobile)