Persecution Account of Mr. Bai Erhong and His Wife in Pingshan County, Hebei Province

Mr. Bai Erhong and his wife Ms. Luo Shengqiao were persecuted by the authorities in 2005 and 2008 for steadfastly practising Falun Gong.

Mr. Bai Erhong and Ms. Luo Shengqiao are residents of Caishuwan Village, Pingshan County, Hebei Province. Before practising Falun Gong, Mr. Bai suffered from arteriosclerosis of the brain and Ms. Luo suffered from anaemia, neurosis, and other illnesses. After they began practising Falun Gong in January 1998, their illnesses disappeared.

After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started an unprecedented persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in July 20th, 1999, the local authorities in the village arrested many people. Mr. Bai and his wife went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. They were arrested on separate occasions and were detained in the Pingshan Police Station. Once, when the police forced Ms. Luo to stand for a long period of time, Ms. Luo said, "Since you don't let me sit, I'll just practise the exercises." The police then violently hit her arms and hands with a broom and ordered her to sit down. They also took away some cash Ms. Luo had with her at the time. They did not let her eat anything while she was detained in a detention centre for two days. The couple had to pay 700 yuan¹ before they were released. The authorities extorted over 600 yuan more from Mr. Bai and also confiscated his tricycle.

Mr. Bai, Ms. Luo, and their eldest daughter who also practises Falun Gong, were subsequently sent to a brainwashing facility in Guyue Town where several dozen people were detained by authorities against their will. The authorities demanded 100 yuan from every one of them. At the time, the county party secretary, Yang Erjun and chief of the Armed Force Department, Han Shiqiu took part in persecuting practitioners.

On October 17th, 2005, Ms. Bai and Ms. Luo were selling merchandise in a street market in Xiakou Town. They were arrested because the local police got a lead that they were distributing leaflets exposing the persecution of Falun Gong in the street market. They were detained in the Xiakou Town Hall. The police handcuffed the couple to a heating pipe in a conference room for 12 days, during which time five to six police officers took turns watching them. The couple were not able to even wash their faces for six to seven days. They were under surveillance even when they used the toilet. Their residence cards and a mobile phone valued at 1,600 yuan were confiscated by the police. On the third day, the authorities extorted 6,000 yuan from them. Two weeks later, the couple strongly demanded a face-to-face talk with the town mayor and the party secretary. Eventually they were told that they could go home, but the police still kept their mobile phone. Party secretary Fan Shixiong initially said, "It was turned in to Feng Qingfang in the county Public Security Office." Later, he said to just consider it as "your gift to them." So far they have not returned the mobile phone to Mr. Bai.

In late August 2008, the couple's eldest daughter opened a restaurant in Beijing. Mr. Bai and Ms. Luo went to take care the grandchildren. Within seven days, the Guyue Town Police Station and the head of Caishuwan Village went to seize the home of the elderly couple without any reason at all. As a result, Mr. Bai's daughter was forced to close the restaurant and lost more than 30,000 yuan.

Key persons who have taken part in persecuting Mr. Bai Erhong and Ms. Luo Shengqiao:
Feng Qingfang, male, 49, Public Security Office in Bailing Village, Xiahuai Town: 86-311-82913739
Fan Shixiong, male, 44, Guyue Town Hall, Baishuzhuang Village, Beiye Township: 86-13931166609 (Mobile), 86-311-82933699
Han Shigui, male, 50, Statistics Bureau, Xiweiyuan Area, Jiaotanzhuang Town: 86-13931982851 (Mobile),86-311-82821369

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://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2009/7/4/203919.html