Female Teacher Faces Torture for Refusing to "Transform"

Summary of Key Persecution Facts:

Name: Liu Yumei
Gender: Female
Age: Unknown
Address: Boli County, Heilongjiang Province
Occupation: Teacher at Boli County Vocational School
Date of Most Recent Arrest: September 11th, 2013
Most Recent Place of Detention: Liulu Brainwashing Centre
City: Qitaihe
Province: Heilongjiang
Persecution Suffered: Brainwashing, torture, detention

Key Persecutors: Gu Songhai, head of Heilongjiang Province 610 Office

Gu Songhai, head of Heilongjiang Province 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong), went to Liulu Brainwashing Centre in Qitaihe City on October 14th, 2013, to personally supervise the torture of Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liu Yumei. He ordered the guards to “make her suffer” if she refused to “transform” [forcibly renounce Falun Gong].

Held and Tortured in a Brainwashing Centre

Ms. Liu, a teacher at the Boli County Vocational School, was arrested in the afternoon on September 11th, 2013. Officials from the Boli County 610 Office, including director Zhao Pengfei, were responsible for arresting her. They took her to the Liulu Brainwashing Centre, where she has been held for more than a month. Ms. Liu firmly believes in the Falun Gong principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and has resolutely resisted being “transformed.”

Gu Songhai personally supervised the torture of Ms. Liu on October 14th, 2013, at the Liulu Brainwashing Centre. Following Gu's instructions, Boli County 610 Office director Zhao Pengfei and officer He Wei went to Boli County No. 7 Middle School, where Ms. Liu's husband Mr. Wang Yue works. They took him to the brainwashing center and forced him to help “transform” Ms. Liu. The officials threatened to have the couple fired from their jobs. Gu Songhai told the brainwashing centre officials and guards to “make her suffer” if she refused to “transform.” Besides Zhao Pengfei, Liu Yulin, He Wei, two female officers that Gu had brought with him, and Wang Ying, who was assigned to watch Ms. Liu, were present.

Husband and Daughter Not Allowed to Visit

Mr. Wang Yue was released from the Hegang Brainwashing Centre on the day of Ms. Liu's arrest. The couple did not get to see each other. Mr. Wang and the couple's daughter went to the Liulu Brainwashing Centre on October 9th, 2013, and asked to visit Ms. Liu, but were turned away by director Zhang.

Worried about her mother, Ms. Liu's daughter went back to the brainwashing centre the next day by herself. Though she was in tears when she asked to see her mother, deputy director Liu Yulin refused her and threatened to arrest her. Liu Yulin called Boli County 610 Office director Zhao Pengfei that afternoon. Zhao drove to No. 7 Middle School in the rain and told Mr. Wang Yue to watch his daughter closely so she wouldn't go back to the brainwashing centre to “make trouble.”

Brainwashing Centres Replacing Forced Labour Camps

The Chinese communist regime claims to have shut down the forced labour system and closed the camps. Yet, what exactly is a brainwashing centre and why is it that its officials arrest, detain, and torture Falun Gong practitioners without using going through a legitimate legal process?

Set up by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 610 Office, the brainwashing centres were originally called “Education Centres,” a name later changed to “Legal Education Schools.” The 610 Office itself is an illegal agency that is not sanctioned by the Chinese Constitution and existing Chinese laws. It has been operating above the law for the past 14 years in persecuting Falun Gong practitioners.

Legality of 610 Offices and Brainwashing Centres Challenged

For instance, officials from the Cangzhou City Procuratorate have admitted using illegal procedures to sentence practitioner Mr. Sun Yuqiang. However, to send Mr. Sun's case back for a new trial, he and his attorney will still need permission from the local 610 Office. The lawyer asked, “What is the 610 Office? What power does it have to interfere with law enforcement?” The Procuratorate officials had no response.

Another example is Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Wang Guiling's lawyer's accusation on July 2nd, 2013. A procurator from Linkou County Procuratorate in Heilongjiang Province tried to evade responsibility by saying that all cases related to Falun Gong had to go through the 610 Office. The defense lawyer asked, “What is 610? I have never heard of it. This agency is not sanctioned by any existing Chinese laws.”

It is clear that the 610 Office is an illegal agency, and the brainwashing centres are illegal institutions created and controlled by this illegal agency. The officials and guards lie to and deceive the Chinese people, employ torture, and administer unknown drugs to force Falun Gong practitioners to “transform.” Countless practitioners have died or become disabled in brainwashing centres.

The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Liulu Brainwashing Centre has drawn the attention of people inside and outside of China. Out of guilt and fear that its crimes will be exposed, the officials recently removed the sign, installed video cameras to monitor everything outside of the facility, and frequently arrange plainclothes officers to patrol the neighbourhood.

Individuals Involved in the Persecution of Ms. Liu:

Gu Songhai, head of Heilongjiang Province 610 Office: +86-13804536212 (Mobile)

Wang Zhenlin, Qitaihe City 610 Office: +86-464-8295768 (Office), +86-13946590010 (Mobile)

Official at the Liulu Brainwashing Centre: +86-13114649589 (Mobile)

Yang Zhijie, Qitaihe City Political and Legal Affairs Committee: +86-464-8261070 (Office), +86-13104645555(Mobile)+86-464-8268332 (Home)

Wang Guangyi, Boli County government official: +86-464-8581842 (Office), +86-13903673546 (Mobile)

Fu Qiang, Boli County Political and Legal Affairs Committee: +86-464- 8535599 (Office), +86-13946522097 (Mobile)+86-464-8537668 (Home)

Zhao Pengfei, Boli County 610 Office: +86-464-8586868 (Office), +86-13945582055 (Mobile) +86-464-8580777 (Home)