Police Try to Cover Up Theirs Crimes After Torturing Liu Zhirong to Death

On the afternoon of January 11th, 2005, the guards from Tianshui Prison in Gansu Province and the Secretary of Xifeng District Police Department took two police cars to Mr. Liu Zhirong's home and then lied to his wife. They told her that Mr. Liu unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide on January 10th in prison. They said that they tried to get him treatment and were willing to pay for the cost, but Mr. Liu refused treatment.

Hearing this, Mr. Liu's wife immediately questioned the police if he was actually dead. However, none of the police officers answered her, and instead urged the' family to immediately go to Tianshui Hospital. Two people from the Zhaizi Town Bureau of Justice in Xifeng District, also went to the hospital with Mr. Liu's family members.

On the way to the hospital, the police told Mr. Liu's wife that, "Liu Zhirong used a blade to cut the artery on his neck." At around 2 a.m., as they were entering Tianshui, a number of policemen were already waiting for them half way to the hospital. By the time Mr. Liu's family arrived at Tianshui Changkai Guest Motel, there were many police cars parked there. Police controlled the entire building. Two policewomen and a male undercover cop feigned kindness and concern for Mr. Liu's family.

Mr. Liu's wife asked about her husband, but they would only say, "We usually stay in our office and had no idea of what was going on in the cell." The male undercover then said, "It was Liu's own doing. It had nothing to do with others." Mr. Liu's wife then asked what weapon he used. A policewoman replied, "Maybe a blade." She further' questioned them, "Liu Zhirong has been transferred from prison to prison over these several years,' and I have visited him at every prison he was at. I know that a shaving blade is not allowed to be brought into the prison, so where did it come from?" Nobody was able to answer her question. They were all rambling and could not say anything sensible.

On January 14th, at around 8 a.m., people from the Tianshui Court brought Mr. Liu's family to see 'his body. A secretary from the court told them that Mr. Liu's death was a result of suicide. However, Mr. Liu's wife again questioned them, "Where did the blade come from? If it was suicide, then what was the reason? Why did he die only 20 days after being transferred to Tianshui Prison?" The secretary calmly replied, "We will surely give you a satisfactory answer."

Mr. Liu's frozen body was lying on top of a portable bed, and he only had red shorts on. His whole body was a yellow colour, his lips were half-way open as though he wanted to say something and both of his hands were in a half-fist posture. There was blood on his forearms and hands. His abdomen concaved in and it looked like he had not eaten for many days.

Liu's wife cried and shouted, "He did not commit suicide! He did not commit suicide! He was tortured to death by you, the police! I will find out who the murderer is." She was about 3 to 4 feet from Mr. Liu's body. She wanted to get a closer look at the body, but the police held her back and pushed her around, finally carrying her out of the building. The rest of Mr. Liu's relatives and the court personnel remained inside as police officers stood outside the door.

Back at the motel, Mr. Liu's relatives said that there was a 2 to 3 foot scar on the right side of his neck. Two of his blood vessels were cut. There were no visible scars on his body, except on his right wrist from being tightly bound. Mr. Liu's facial expression was peaceful. The court personnel showed pictures of Mr. Liu's body taken from different angles. In the pictures, Mr. Liu's left hand was on the right side of his neck; his right hand was on his right shoulder; his thumb, index finger, and middle finger were held together; and below his right shoulder, there was a piece of debris from the inner layer of a broken hot water pot, which was warped with tissue and pressed into some marks of blood.

The squadron from the No. 1 Prison area kept saying that a prisoner called Huang got up at 1 a.m. on January 9th to go to the toilet. Later at 6 a.m., all nine inmates in the same cell got up except for Liu Zhirong, who had a blanket over his head and did not move at all. There was also blood found under the bed. At the time, both the bed and Mr. Liu were moved outside of the cell for so-called "on the scene" pictures to be taken. He had scars on his wrist consistent with the use of handcuffs.

That same afternoon, the police brought two forensics to accompany Mr. Liu's relatives for an autopsy. They took pictures of every part of Mr. Liu's body. The forensics said that since all of his blood was drained out, it was impossible to determine whether there were any scars.

After going through Mr. Liu's things, a set of bedding was found that was not the same one sent to Mr. Liu by his family. Rather, it was a set of brand new military bedding. The police said it was given to Mr. Liu when he was transferred to Tianshui Prison. This explanation makes no sense, giving more evidence that Mr. Liu did not die inside the prison cell at all.

Mr. Liu's wife knew of the cruel torture methods used inside the prison against Falun Gong practitioners because she herself practises Falun Gong. She knew that her husband was a true believer and practitioner of Falun Gong and was an honorable man. He would never have attempted to commit suicide. However, the rest of her relatives, deceived by the police, believed their words. The prison authorities seized the opportunity to force them to sign a document. It contained five conditions as a so-called "agreement":

1. Mr. Liu was a "criminal" who committed suicide.

2. Cremation must be held locally at the Tianshui Cremation Facility.

3. 'The prison will pay 6000 yuan¹ as compensation for the family's difficult situation. (This was only agreed upon after the relatives argued for it; otherwise, the prison would not give any compensation. According to prison regulations, they do not issue compensation for death due to suicide.)

4. Family members are forbidden to slander the prison or sue the prison at a later time.

5. Family members can not go after Mr. Liu's property rights against the prison.

Mr. Liu's wife could not stand such unfairness, and she crossed out the word "criminal" on the document. However, after several hours of the relatives' persuasions, Mr. Liu's wife unwillingly signed the document. If she delayed it any longer, she risked not getting her husband's 'ashes.

On January 14th, at 10 p.m.', Mr. Liu Zhirong's body was cremated at Tianshui Cremation Facility. He was only 43 years old.

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://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/2/26/121676.html