Practitioner Mr. Li Zhenzhong of Hebei Province Crippled by Police

After his arrest, Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Zhenzhong of Yongnian County in Hebei Province was severely tortured by the police. The torture caused permanent damage to his hands. Even though he can no longer take care of himself, Mr. Li is still in detention. In addition, practitioner Gai Xinzhong was arrested by the police and died during a force-feeding torture session.

In February 2005, the Yongnian County police launched a new round of attacks against practitioners. The police who participated came from the Criminal Police Brigade and local police stations. In the evening on February 23, police from Criminal Police Brigade One arrested practitioner Mr. Li Zhenzhong along with his mother and wife. Under the direction of Team Leader Yang Qingshe, the police violently tortured Mr. Li Zhenzhong for 17 days.

Police officers handcuffed Mr. Li and hung him up by his arms to a tree, forcing him to stand on the tips of his toes. Then they whipped the bottoms of his feet with bamboo sticks. The handcuffs cut into his wrists, causing deep scars. His feet developed blisters bigger than eggs. According to an eyewitness in the detention centre, the authorities first refused to accept Mr. Li for fear that the detention centre would later be held responsible for any injury. After being pressured by their superiors and being promised that the detention centre would not be held responsible if something happened to Mr. Li, they grudgingly admitted him.

Mr. Li was subjected to the torture called "Two Horses Pulling the Body Apart." The police tied one of his hands to a steel frame and the other to a bed made of steel wires. Several people then jumped on the bed. The jumping motion stretched his body and disabled his hands, which lost feeling after the torture. Now he can't take care of himself.

Mr. Li Zhenzhong is still in detention. His wife is filing a complaint against the police and demanding Li's immediate release. Police department chief Ma Hongxiu claimed that Mr. Li was faking his hand injury. Deputy head Zhang Tao was even blunter. He told Li Zhenzhong's wife that a provincial leader had ordered Mr. Li's arrest. He also said, "What's the big deal about the injury to his hands? We will not be held responsible even if we kill a couple of people."

About February 28, police also arrested three more practitioners. Police from the Criminal Police Brigades One, Two and Five were involved in these arrests. The practitioners were also forced to undergo the "Two Horses Pulling Apart" torture. In addition, the police used electric batons to shock their anuses. The police would blindfold them, handcuff them, hang them up, and then assault them. Three practitioners went on a hunger strike to protest the illegal detention and torture. The police ordered prison doctor Zong Ailan to force-feed them, which killed Mr. Gai Xinzhong. To cover up the facts, the police told outsiders that Mr. Gai had starved to death. When Mr. Gai's family members visited his body, they saw blood in his nose and mouth. The police department paid 3000 yuan (1) to his family and threatened them not to appeal. They also released the other hunger-striking practitioners Liu Haifeng and Zhao Chuanjie.

Persons involved in the persecution:

Wang Shibao, Head of the Police Department: 86-310-6816888(Office), 86-310-6822404 Ext. 222(Office), 86-13903104169(mobile), 86-310-7023587(Home)

Zhang Tao, Ma Hongxiu, Chen Jushan, Political Security Section Chiefs: 86-310-6822404-5832 (Office), 86-13803200503(mobile)

Yang Qingshe, Police Leader of Team One: 86-13832051111(mobile)

Zhang Xianying, Qiao Weibing, police officers

Wen, Head of Detention Centre, in charge of force-feeding torture

Zong Ailan, doctor in charge of force-feeding torture: 86-310-6828819(Home)

Detention centre operator: 86-310-6822404 ext. 229

Liu Baohu, Head of the 610 Office: 86-310-6813610(Office), 86-310-6825821(Home), 86-13703109599(mobile)

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://minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/6/16/104158.html