Mr. Liu Haibin of Tianjin Arrested Again by 610 Office Personnel

On May 26th, 2008, after a two-hour stand-off, Mr. Liu Haibin, a resident of Lixinli Neighbourhood, Dongli District, Tianjin City, was arrested by officers from the 610 Office¹ and the Domestic Security Division of the Dongli District Police Department.

Mr. Liu Haibin, 42, worked for the Tianjin City Steel Company from the time he graduated from college up until he was persecuted for practising Falun Gong. Back in October of 2000, Mr. Liu was sentenced to four years in prison for distributing leaflets exposing the persecution and telling people the facts about Falun Gong. His elderly father and his kindergarten-aged daughter depended upon him for moral and financial support. Mr. Liu's arrest devastated his family. While in prison, he suffered various forms of torture for not giving up his belief. Before he was imprisoned, he weighed 198 pounds. Four years later when he was released from prison, Mr. Liu weighed only 90 pounds. He was unable to walk normally, and he had lost his job at the steel company.

After his release, Mr. Liu continued practising Falun Gong, and he was able to recover his health quickly. Although he had lost his job, he managed to make a living. However the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities did not leave him alone. His neighbour revealed that at around 7:20 a.m. on May 26th, 2008, two plain-clothes police officers from the Fengnian Village Police Station in Tianjin City arrived at Mr. Liu's home. Mr. Liu's wife, Ms. Ning, a schoolteacher who does not practise Falun Gong, locked the door. The police called her school's administrator. The administrator came and threatened her with losing her job if she kept the door locked.

At 9:20 a.m., six more plain-clothes officers showed up. The leader, Chang Wanxin, was Ms. Ning's former schoolmate. Chang convinced Ms. Ning that her family would not be harmed if she opened the door. During their talk, 20 officers surrounded Mr. Liu's home. Due to pressure from her administrator and her trust in her old schoolmate, Ms. Ning opened the door.

Once the door was open, Chang broke his word. He was in the lead as the police rushed in, thoroughly searched the home, and seized the family's computers, Falun Gong books, Falun Gong leaflets exposing the persecution, and a satellite dish. Chang claimed that these items were evidence against Mr. Liu.

Several officers handcuffed Mr. Liu, who cried out, "The police are arresting the innocent!" Ms. Ning cried and begged Chang not to hurt her husband. Chang was unmoved and ordered officers to restrain Ms. Ning while other officers took Mr. Liu out. His neighbours were eyewitnesses to the whole incident and comforted Ms. Ning after the police left.

Mr. Liu is being held in the Dongli District Detention Centre. According to inside information, ever since his arrest on May 26th, he has been on a hunger strike in protest. He has spoken only three sentences: "Falun Gong is good. 'Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance' is good. I am innocent."

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.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.cc/mh/articles/2008/6/16/180368.html