Family Members Detained Upon Requesting Release of Arrested Practitioner at Brainwashing Centre

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liu Hongxia from Jilin City, Jilin Province was detained at a brainwashing centre at Sishe Welfare Office, Xiaoguang Village, Shahezi Township, in Chuanying District of Jilin City. The brainwashing centre is under the supervision of the Jilin City 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Jilin City Political and Legal Committee. At 10:00 a.m. on August 25th, 2010, five members of Ms. Liu's family travelled to the centre to request Ms. Liu's release. The family was subsequently detained, and one member is still being held by the Shahezi Township Detention Centre officials.

1. Making Things Exceedingly Difficult for the Family

When Ms. Liu's family drove their van to the entrance of the brainwashing centre, the locked gate was opened for them without any questions asked. An official told them to go up to the third floor of the building. There was a steel door and guards at the third floor stairs. An officer in uniform said, "You can all go in." Then, when the family went into the 610 Office room, the office staff became very rude. There were five officials from the 610 Office and Political and Legal Committee in the room, all carrying badges labelled "employee."

The staff asked them in a rude tone, "Who are you? Who let you in?" They then began making phone calls. They pushed the family into the corridor.

Throughout this event, Ms. Liu's family kept asking an employee, "We couldn't understand something and wanted to ask you why Ms. Liu Hongxia was arrested on the street and brought here." "Because she practises Falun Gong," the employee replied. "Practising Falun Gong is not against the law," one family member said, "The Constitution states that citizens have the right to freedom of religion and freedom of speech." Section Chief Zhang of the 610 Office then shouted at the family member, "What you just said shows that you have a big problem. Are you also practising Falun Gong? Falun Gong is not allowed to be practised in China." "That's what Jiang Zemin and his regime said," answered the family member. Zhang said, "It's not allowed in our country. Practising it is violating the law." "Which law does it violate?" "Article 300 of the Criminal Law, disrupting the implementation of law," answered Zhang. The family member then asked, "Which law's implementation did she disrupt? Please show us the law." Zhang and others then stalled the family members.

The family asked to see Ms. Liu, but the staff refused their request. The family replied, "We just want to see her and talk to her." "You can't talk to her," they answered. "We have special people talking to her, special people to do 'transformation' [forcibly renounce Falun Gong]. It costs several thousand yuan¹ to 'transform' a practitioner. She will be released after being 'transformed.'" A family member asked, "She practises Falun Gong, follows the principles of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance, and practises to be a good person. Why do you want to 'transform' her?" The staff replied with false arguments. The family then decided to leave.

2. Family Detained

When Ms. Liu's family went to the stairs, the guard wouldn't open the door. They asked for the door to be opened so that they could leave.

At that time, a group of people came up from the second floor. A tall and heavy person carrying a video camera on his shoulder started videotaping Ms. Liu's family while coming up the stairs. The family asked him, "Have you received our permission to record video of us? Who gave you permission to videotape us? You don't allow us to see (Ms. Liu Hongxia), and now you won't even let us go? What kind of thing is this?" The 610 Office and Political and Legal Committee staff member said, "What do you think this place is? Do you think you can come and go at will?" They didn't allow the family to leave.

3. Family Arrested, Taken to the Shahezi Township Police Station

A car then arrived with five officers, including Luo and Yao Gang from the Shahezi Township Police Station, armed with pistols. Other officers were in plain clothes. Six people from the brainwashing centre also joined them.

The family was arrested and forcibly taken to the Shahezi Township Police Station. The family members were separated into two rooms with officials monitoring each room. Another guard was stationed in the aisle. Family members were followed even when going to the toilet. The staff and police officers started interrogating the family, asking their names, ages, addresses, and residence card numbers. The officials also searched for information online. Their real purpose was to find out if any of the family members were also Falun Gong practitioners.

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://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/8/28/228910.html