Police in Laishui County, Hebei Province Once Again Conduct Large Scale Arrests of Falun Gong Practitioners

Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of Laishui County, Hebei Province held a meeting about persecuting Falun Gong. The officials involved in the meeting included those from the local 610 Office¹, police department, Procuratorate, court, and all responsible persons from towns, villages, bureaus and sections. The meeting's focus was the persecution of all practitioners in the Laishui County area in the name of the "protecting the Olympic Games." They continued arresting many Falun Gong practitioners all over the County. They also set a quota for the practitioners to be arrested, which would be no less than 300 practitioners. Moreover, a quota was set for each of the towns, villages and communities. Every village was required to hire 30 people without fixed duties, who engaged in patrols, with red arm bands. This is another round of persecution aimed at practitioners in the Laishui area. Before this meeting, By taking advantage of the 610 Office, police department, Procuratorate, court, radio and TV stations, the CCP instigated the public to monitor, report, and arrest practitioners.

CCP officials in Laishui County, Hebei Province conducted a large-scale arrest of Falun Gong practitioners all over the county on June 6th, 2008, and it was reported that all 13 of the Falun Gong practitioners but one had been sent to a forced labour camp. On July 10th, the CCP officials conducted another round of large-scale arrests of Falun Gong practitioners all over the county. Many Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and their homes were searched.

On July 10th, 2008, Ms. Liu Hemin, a practitioner from Bancheng Village, Shiting Town, Laishui County, and Ms. Zhang Hongran, a practitioner from Beizhuang Village were arrested at home by town officials without any reason. When they arrested the practitioners, the officials showed no identification, nor did they give any reason for the arrests. They just took each practitioner into custody according to a list of names. They also stole money, property, including valuable items, TV receivers, etc., whatever they could take.

At about 3:00 p.m. on July 10th, Ms. Yuan Huifang, a new Falun Gong practitioner from Sanlipu Village, Laiyang Town, was arrested at her home. In the same village, Ms. Xin Xiumin, who had been previously arrested by the CCP officials, was taken into custody as well. Mr. Liu Hanyu, who was a temporary resident at Sanlipu Village, was also arrested. His wife, holding a several-month-old baby in her arms, had nowhere to appeal.

At about 4:00 p.m. on July 10th, a Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liu Xiuhong's home was ransacked. She managed to escape from the arrest. Her daughter's computer and mobile phone were stolen by officials. At midnight, officers from Laishui Town Police Station broke into Ms. Liu Xiuhong's home again. Mr. Dong Jinqing and Ms. Liu Xiuhong's husband (a non-practitioner) were interrogated by police and severely beaten. The police beat Mr. Dong Jinqing's head with a special electric torch, and his head was immediately injured, causing extensive bleeding. He was then forcibly arrested and detained at Laishui Town Police Station. Ms. Liu Xiuhong's daughter was beaten black and blue on her arms by the police because she tried to prevent the police from taking away her father.

Almost at the same time, practitioner Ms. Liu Xiufeng's home was ransacked. A computer and some cash were stolen. Due to persecution by the CCP, Ms. Liu Xiufeng was forced to become homeless, jobless, and had no regular income. She had no guarantee of basic living conditions and lived an extremely difficult life. She therefore became very weak. She fell to the ground and lost consciousness during the arrest. Nonetheless, Wang Fucai, head of Laishui 610 Office, still ordered the police to carry Ms. Liu Xiufeng away with her summer sleeping mat and detained her.

Liu Binhua's home was also ransacked. Ms. Wang Shuqin, a former employee of Laishui County Chengguan Supply and Marketing Department, was arrested at home. Ms. Wang Shuqin has become homeless to avoid further persecution. She was arrested immediately upon her arrival at home. Laozhu, a practitioner of Dongyingfang Village, Loucun Township, Laishui County, was also arrested. On July 11th, Ms. Li Shulan, a practitioner from Dongleizi Village, Yongyang Town, Laishui County, was arrested by the police from Yongyang Town Police Station. Her husband, Mr. Song Kuiyou, a non-practitioner, was arrested by officers from Yongyang Town Police Station and was forced to write a guarantee statement to renounce Falun Gong.

Additionally, Yan Haidong, Sun Yuxian, Bai Shuling, Chen Shuping, practitioners from Yi'an Town, and Zhou Jingchun, a practitioner from Yongyang Town, were sentenced to forced labour. Qu Haicheng, a practitioner from Yanling Village, Yin Zemin, a practitioner of Jushi Village, and Wu Yinshu, a practitioner from Wanggezhuang Village were mistreated and sent to the hospital. Currently there is no news about Zhao Suying, from Laishui Town. Xu Xiuqin, a practitioner from Jiantou Village, was detained. Qu Haicheng and Yin Zemin have returned home. Currently all Falun Gong practitioners who have been arrested in Laishui County are being detained at the Laishui County Detention Centre

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.ca/mh/articles/2008/7/17/182232.html