Nine Falun Dafa Practitioners Held Past Their Term in the Sanhe Detention Centre, Hebei Province

The Sanhe Detention Centre in Hebei Province is a den of evil where Falun Dafa practitioners are persecuted. So many practitioners have suffered from savage persecution there, and so many unforgivable crimes have been committed there during the past seven years.

The most recent round of arrests began as of February 25th, 2006. Officers from the Sanhe City Police Department, from the “610 Office¹” and from the National Security Bureau arrested more than 20 Falun Dafa practitioners and non-practitioners. Those arrested include married couple Zhou Chuanzhong and Wang Shuhua (both practitioners) and their son Zhou Jia (non-practitioner); Zhang Deli and his second son Zhang Guangliang (non-practitioner), practitioners Ma Weishan, Zhou Zaitian, Bai Yanxia, and Du Fucang.

Practitioners Liu Shujuan, Zhang Zhiping, Tian Fengling and Liu Cuirong were released after one year in a forced labour camp. Nine practitioners, though -- Zhang Deli, Ma Weishan, Zhou Zaitian, Di Wenzhu, Zhou Chuanzhong, Bai Yanxia, Zhang Liancun, Liang Baotian and Du Fucang -- are still being held in the Sanhe Detention Center. Some of them have been detained for over a year. On January 11th, 2007, some people in the city's law branches tried to convict these nine practitioners but failed.

1. Three generations of Zhou Chuanzhong's family members suffer arrest and persecution

Around 9:00 a.m. on February 25th, 2006, two groups of agents from the Yanjiao Police Precinct set out in six or seven police cars. One group went to a rented house where they confiscated a copy machine and other personal belongings valued at more than 100,000 “yuan²” and arrested a non-practitioner surnamed Bai. The other group went to Zhou Chuanzhong's home. They confiscated a PC, a tape player and many other personal items, even a small cotton bed cover for his grandson. Zhou Chuanzhong and his wife Wang Shuhua practise Falun Dafa, but the police even arrested their son, their daughter-in-law and their three-year-old grandson and took them to the police station.

2. Zhang Deli and his family members arrested and suffer persecution

Around 8:00 a.m. on February 25th, 2006, officers in four police cars arrived at Zhang Deli's home. They also thoroughly searched Mr. Zhang's oldest son's home and his second son's home. They confiscated a TV, DVD player and Dafa books. They arrested Zhang Deli and his second son Zhang Guangliang, not a practitioner. The police beat Zhang Guangliang with a water-filled Sprite bottle on his back, feet and hands in the detention centre. Such a beating leaves no surface marks but causes severe internal injuries. Zhang Guangliang is still unable to work, even now, because of the beating. When police were questioned as to why they arrested non-practitioner Zhang Guangliang, they told Mr. Zhang's family that he was implicated because of his father. Zhang Guangliang was held for one month in the detention centre.

Zhang Deli's wife Hu Baozhen was not at home when the arrest happened. Later on, police were looking for her everywhere, including their relatives' homes. Plainclothes police agents constantly patrolled in front of Mr. Zhang's home, and his family members were often harassed. Hu Baozhen decided to leave home to avoid further persecution.

Zhang Deli suffered brutal torture in the detention centre. In the chilly February weather the guards poured cold water on him and incited the inmates to beat him. His over-70-year-old mother often cried for her son. His elderly father and other family members often went to the detention centre and wished to see him but were always refused a visit.

There were “forced brainwashing classes” at the detention centre, and inmates assigned to be so-called “educational assistants.” Two inmates were assigned to monitor Zhang Deli. He was forbidden to leave the room and had to make wreaths. The police tried to send him to a forced labour camp, but the camp refused their request. However, the Sanhe Detention Centre authorities still refuse to release him.

3. Ma Weishan arrested and taken to the Sanhe Detention Centre

Around 8:00 a.m. on February 25th, 2006, many police officers rushed into Ma Weishan's home, searched it and arrested Mr. Ma. Police officer Li Liandi took 66-year-old Ma Weishan away and sent him to the Sanhe Detention Centre. Ma Weishan protested the arrest with a hunger strike. He is not in good condition.

Ma Weishan had been arrested before, on October 26th, 1999, and was sentenced to two years of forced labour. He served time at the Kaiping Forced Labour Camp and later in the notorious Gaoyang Forced Labour Camp.

Police officer Li Liandi was from Caigezhuang Village in Yanjiao Town. He was called “smiling tiger,” meaning that he seemed friendly but was indeed vicious. Around 3:30 p.m. on February 28th, 2003, Li Liandi and three other police officers passed through Ma Weishan's residential compound. Noticing two cars in the yard, he immediately questioned Mr. Ma's oldest son and stopped by Ma's own home. Seeing other practitioners in Ma Weishan's home, Li Liandi called for reinforcements. Many officers arrived in five or six police cars and thoroughly searched the home. They confiscated a TV, a tape player, other home appliances and all of the Dafa books. Ma Weishan and two practitioners were arrested. The cars in the yard were taken away as well. Yanjiao Police Department head Zan Qingcai was also involved in the search and arrest.

4. Police continue to arrest and persecute practitioners

Di Wenzhou, an engineer employed at the No.1 Metallurgy Bureau, was arrested on March 2nd, 2006. He has been detained for nearly one year.

Around 8:00 a.m. on March 4th, 2006, about 20 or 30 Yanjiao Police Bureau and Sanhe City Political and Security Section agents took Zhou Zaitian to the Sanhe Detention Centre. He has been detained there for nearly one year now. According to inside information, former village director Yang He was involved in this arrest.

Around 12:00 p.m. on March 16th, 2006, several officers from the Yanjiao Police Station and from the No.1 Metallurgy Bureau Police Station, including police station head Wang Hong, arrived at practitioner Guo Zheng's home. Guo Zheng refused to open the door. Three hours later, the police broke the door down and forcibly arrested Guo Zheng. Guo Zheng was released eight months later after having been abused and mistreated until he was on the brink of death.

Around 10:00 a.m. May 26th, 2006, police in two vehicles from the Yanjiao Police Precinct arrived at Zhang Liancun's home. They jumped over the wall and broke into Zhang's home. Zhang Liancun was not at home. On July 20th, 2006, they went to Pinggezhuang in Shunyi County and arrested Zhang Liancun, who was working there.

On June 29th, 2006, agents from the Liangfang City Police Department, from the Yanjiao Police Precinct and the Gaolou Police Station arrested practitioner Liang Baotian. Mr. Liang was from Liujihe Village, Gaolou Town. His home was searched and personal belongings such as a PC and printer were confiscated. Prior to starting cultivation, Liang Baotian had been unable to work because of poor health. In 1998 he attended a nine-day falun Dafa lectures series, and miraculously recovered completely and regained his life. Liang Baotian's own experiences showed people how great Falun Dafa is. However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cannot tolerate those who strive to be good people. The nearly 60-year-old man was arrested and taken to the Langfang City Brainwashing Centre and later to the Sanhe Detention Centre.

On the afternoon of June 29th, 2006, practitioner Du Fucang, employed at the Yanjiao Base of the Zhonghai Oil Corporation, was forcibly sent to the Langfang Detention Centre. His home and work PC were confiscated. He was compelled to undergo brainwashing. The authorities claimed he would not be released if he refused to be brainwashed. His work place also stated that Mr. Du would be fired if he refused to give up his belief. Du Fucang is still being held in the detention centre.

Around 3:30 p.m. on February 27th, 2006, six plainclothes police officers arrived in two cars and stopped at the hotel owned by the family of practitioner Ms. Bai Yanxia. Two of these agents pretended to be potential customers. Bai Yanxia was just returning from a food market and was going to prepare food. The two police rushed out to grab her and took her into the hotel. They searched the hotel but didn't find anything. They were going to take Bai Yanxia to the police department, but Ms. Bai and her family members reasoned with them. Two hours later, Bai Yanxia managed to escape. Around 12:00 p.m. on June 29th, 2006, a mere three days after Bai Yanxia's return home, she was arrested at the family's hotel. The police searched the hotel again, as well as her home. They confiscated a tape player, and other items. Bai Yanxia was first detained at the city detention centre and was later transferred to the Langfang Brainwashing Centre. She is still detained there now.

At 9:30 a.m. on November 9th, 2006, officers from the Sanhe Police Department, the 610 Office and from the No.1 Metallurgy Bureau Police Station, including police station head Wang Hong, arrived at the Jingri Company to arrest practitioner Zhang Yanming. At 1:40 p.m. they sent Zhang Yanming under force to the Langfang Brainwashing Centre. Later on, four or five police officers led by Wang Hong came to Zhang Yanming's home. They searched it and took away a desktop PC. Zhang Yanming's whereabouts are unknown.

Practitioners Ma Weishan, Zhou Chuanzhong and Zhang Deli have been gone for over a year. Zhou Zaitian and Di Wenzhu have been detained for nearly one year. Practitioners Bai Yanxia, Du Fucang, Liang Baotian and Zhang Liancun were arrested over eight months ago. They were sent to the Sanhe Detention Centre, the Langfang Brainwashing Centre and Xianghe to endure brainwashing, but these efforts to make them renounce Falun Dafa failed. They were eventually sent back to the Sanhe Detention Centre.

Since September 2006, several agents in the Sanhe City law branch offices have tried to sentence these practitioners. On January 11th, 2007, they held a trial of all nine practitioners. Many police officers were stationed inside and outside the courtroom. The practitioners denied all of the false charges against them. The court session, lasting from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., ended in a mistrial.

We are calling on international organizations, human rights organizations and people of conscience to pay attention to these incidents and to help stop the persecution of kind people. We encourage all to help the family members reason with personnel in the relevant agencies on behalf of their loved ones, and to expose and stop the perpetrators and their evil conduct.

Related agencies and personnel:

Sanhe City Detention Center: Meng Hongli
Head of the detention centre


Guo Baosheng
Director of the detention centre
86-316-3119966

Fu Xianghe
Deputy director of the detention centre
86-316-3111058 (h)

Yanjiao Police Branch of Sanhe City Police Department Zhang Jinshen
Head of the branch
86-316-3110738 (h)

86-316-3311718 (o)

86-13903266208 (c)

Sanhe City 610 Office Zan Qingcai
Director
86-316-3113955 (h)

86-13903163052 (c)

City government office

86-316-3212221

86-316-3215274 (Fax)

Note

1. "The 610 office" is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.

2. "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.ca/mh/articles/2007/3/2/149988.html