Falun Dafa Practitioners Ms. Zhang Zongsu and Mr. Li Guocai from Tangshang, Hebei Province Taken into Custody for Over Two Months

Practitioners Ms. Zhang Zongsu and Mr. Li Guocai, an elderly couple and residents of Tangshan City, Hebei Province, were arrested by police officers on April 26th, 2007. They were detained at the Tangshan City First Detention Centre. On July 7th,Mr. Li Guocai, 62, was arrested again by an agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tangshan City.

Ms. Zhang Zongsu and Mr. Li Guocai are retired employees of the No. 4 Company of the No. 2 Construction Bureau. Mr. Li has been a worker at the No. 4 Company his whole life. Everyone knows him as an honest person. Before he started practising Falun Gong, Mr. Li had a severe illness almost once each year. The majority of his stomach was cut away. He was also diagnosed with varicosity. He had scald burns because of a boiler incident. Since he started practising Falun Gong nearly ten years ago, he has become very healthy and hasn't made a claim for medical expenses from his employer. Ms. Zhang Zongsu was a person for whom it was well-known that she always was on medication. After she started practising Falun Gong in 1997, she quickly recovered and was very healthy. She has never made a claim for medical expenses since then.

On April 26th, 2007, six plainclothes police officers came and ransacked their house. The old couple and their son (a non-practitioner) were arrested. Their personal belongings, including a computer and a printer, were taken away. The couple was first detained at the Diaoyutai Detention Centre. Later, they were detained at the Tangshan City First Detention Centre by agents of the National Security Section, including Zheng Tao (male), and Li Yang (female) from Tangshan Road North Police Department. Reportedly, the elderly couple's case was considered a major case by the North Tangshan Road Police Department. However, Mr. Li Guocai does not even know how to handle a computer.

Ms. Zhang Zongsu had symptoms of heart disease when she entered the detention centre. She went on a hunger strike without water for nearly a month. Afterwards, she was force-fed twice a day.

Since the couple was arrested, their family has not been permitted to visit them.

The Tangshan City First Detention Centre: 86-315-2824452-ext.8011 or 8051
The Tangshan City Diaoyutai Police Station: 86-315-2824632, 86-315-2026324

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2007/7/10/158591.html