Over a Hundred Practitioners in Tangshan City Detained in May and June

In May and June 2011, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) arrested and detained Falun Gong practitioners from all over the country, including Tangshan City. The persecution was planned and carried out according to orders from “above”. There was a quota that the CCP authorities had to reach and a list of names on their blacklist. Officers from the Domestic Security Division and the local police stations arrested practitioners either at work or at home. Furthermore, their homes were ransacked and their personal property stolen. In two months, more than 120 practitioners have been detained—over 80 of them are imprisoned in detention centres, with 16 in Kaiping Forced Labour Camp in Tangshan alone.

1. Arrests Carried Out in Broad Daylight

Mr. Zhao Yunlong from Dafenggu Village, Yuehe Township, Kaiping District, Tangshan was at home on the morning of May 17th, 2011. Four officers from the Yuehe Township Police Station broke into his home and ransacked it. Then they called the Kaiping Police Sub-department for backup and tried to forcibly take Mr. Zhao away. However, Mr. Zhao's son stepped forward to try to stop them. As a result, both father and son were taken to the Yuehe Police Station. They were later transferred to the Tangshan Detention Centre. Mr. Zhao was detained for 15 days and his son, five days. Officers from the Yuehe Township Police Station arrested Mr. Zhao again and took him to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp where he is being held for a year.

The policeman who arrested Mr. Zhao pointed at Mr. Zhao's grandson who was only a few months old and said, “When he grows up, he won't be able to go to the university.” The officer was referring to the CCP's “implication policy” that states that family members of Falun Gong practitioners cannot enrol in the army or a university.

The police from Wenbei Police Station in Lunan District, Tangshan arrested three practitioners at a bus station in the morning of May 18th.

Ms. Cao, who is retired, and her husband, were entertaining four visitors in the afternoon of May 28th. The police deceived her into opening the door by lying that they lived downstairs from Ms. Cao and that her toilet was leaking water. Ms. Cao replied that there was no leakage and tried to look through the peephole to see who was outside, but the police blocked it. As soon as she opened the door, seven to eight officers stormed into the house and shouted, “Don't move! Someone reported that you are meeting here.” The police then ransacked the house and confiscated a computer, a printer, Falun Gong books, leaflets exposing the persecution of Falun Gong, and 800 yuan¹ in cash. More police officers from the local Fujiadun Police Station came and took everyone to the police station. Ms. Cao's husband was released that same night. The following afternoon, Ms. Cao and her four visitors were taken to the Tangshang Detention Centre. Those who took part in the arrests and ransacking were policemen from Lubei District and Diaoyutai Police Station in Tangshan.

Ms. Wang Guizhi, Mr. Li Xiaojie and Ms. Qiang Suzhen were arrested in the morning of June 3rd at Guye Market while telling people the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution. They were taken to Guye Police Station and then transferred to Ruan Xian Detention Centre. Mr. Li Xiaojie and Ms. Qiang Suzhen were later taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp.

Wang Ying, deputy head of the Chengguan Police Station led officers to arrest three elderly ladies, Ms. Cai Shuzhen, Ms. Zhao Guiping and Ms. Liu Hua at Yuanda Shopping Centre in Qianxi County in the morning of June 6th. Ms. Liu was released that afternoon only to find her home ransacked. Ms. Cai and Ms. Zhao were taken to Qianxi County Detention Centre. Their families have not been allowed to visit them even though they have been detained for over 20 days.

The following practitioners were also arrested in May: Ms. Dong Heying, Mr. Fu Weijun, Ms. Liu Chunling and Ms. Xu Lanru. Ms. Liu, Ms. Dong and Ms. Xu, who have all been transferred to Tangshan Detention Centre.

2. Homes Ransacked and Money Extorted

Mr. Li Guozhu and his wife, Ms. Zhao Sulan are from Beizhan, Tangshan. Both husband and wife were arrested along with Ms. Gao Ruizhen from Houtuhe, Kaiping District by officers from the Zhengzhuangzi Township Police Station in Wangqianzhuang, while distributing leaflets exposing the persecution. Afterwards, the police went to Mr. Li's home and stole his identification card, bank savings certificates, a computer, a printer, leaflets exposing the persecution, Falun Gong books. Mr. Li Guozhu and Ms. Zhao were detained for 15 days before being sentenced to a year of forced labour.

Gao Xueguo and officers from the Tangshan Domestic Security Division, Jidong Prison, Nanbao Development Zone Police Sub-department and Nanyan Police Station arrested Ms. Li Wen'e and her husband, Mr. Wang Weidong. Ms. Li is a physician of internal medicine and a Class I Police Supervisor while her husband is a guard at the No. 6 Division, Jidong Prison. Their home was also ransacked. The police stole almost 200,000 yuan in cash and bank savings certificates, a computer, jewellry, cameras and other personal belongings. They also took Ms. Li's car parked downstairs at her house. Mr. Wang was taken to Tangshan Detention Centre and was later sentenced to forced labour. He is currently held at Kaiping Detention Centre. Ms. Li Wen'e was also sentenced to forced labour.

Gao Huixiang and two others from the Tangshan Domestic Security Division, in collaboration with officers from the Qiaoxi Police Station in Tangjiazhuang arrested Ms. Peng Xiaoyun. Since no one was at her home, the officers climbed over the fence and pried open the door. Then they confiscated a computer, a printer and other personal belongings. They also went to her son's home and took away two brand new computers along with other items. Ms. Peng Xiaoyun was taken to Tangshan Detention Centre and was later transferred to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp.

Mr. Chen Jun from Qianan City was arrested by police officers from the Qianan City Domestic Division and Muchangkou Township Police Station on the morning of June 24th. Mr. Chen is currently held at the Qianan City Detention Centre. The head of the Domestic Division extorted 10,000 yuan from Mr. Chen's family the day after his arrest.

3. Planned Arrests

On May 10th, the Public Security Bureau in Zunhua City, Hebei Province, mobilised many police officers to arrest 50 Falun Gong practitioners in Zhuangzi Village, Baozidian Town. The practitioners were taken to either a detention centre, a brainwashing centre or a detention house. Currently, eight people are still held in a detention centre. They are: Ms. Wang Shuyun, Ms. Zhao Yuxiang, Ms. Li Chunyan, Ms. Qi Shuling, Ms. Shi Yuping, Ms. Dang Xiaofen, Ms Hao Yanqin, and Ms. Zhang Xiaoying.

On May 20th, officials from the Yangguanlin Police Station sentenced Mr. Zhang Lijun, Ms. Zhan Baoxiang and Ms. Yge Suping from Fengrun District to one year of forced labour. They were taken to a forced labour camp the same day.

On June 15th, Mr. Zhang Weizhong was arrested and taken to a detention centre. Li Guoyong, deputy head of Yangguanlin Town in Fengrun District, and Li Guodong from the Yangguanlin Town Police Station are responsible for the persecution of Mr. Zhang.

In the morning of June 2nd, officers from the Luan County Public Security Bureau arrested Mr. Shen Fu and took him to the Luan County Detention House. Mr. Shen worked in the Second Experimental Primary School in Luan County.

In the afternoon on June 2nd, Ms. Lin Xiuling from Lizhuangzi Village, Dangyu Town, Zunhua City, was arrested and taken to the Zhunhua City Detention House. On the same day, police officers also forcibly took Ms. Peng Xiaoyun from Guzhi District to the Zunhua City Detention House.

On June 9th, officers from the Tangshan Domestic Security Division and the local police station forcibly took Ms. Dong Lanfen, Mr. He Wenjiang and Ms. Wu Yanming to the Tangshan City Detention House. Ms. Dong worked in the Tangshan Construction Bank and Ms. Wu is from Nanbao Development Area in Tangshan. Mr. He was later transferred to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp.

On the same day, Ms. Cheng Dongxiang from Lvjiawa Village, Shaliuhe Town, Fengrun District, was taken to the Fengrun District Detention House. She was transferred to the Fengrun Detention Centre on June 17th.

Officer Si Guozhen arrested and took Ms. Zhang Fenglan from Majiagou, Kaiping District to the Tanshan City Detention House.

Police from the Domestic Security Brigade arrested Ms. Liang Xiumei from Yutian County and sent her to the Yutian Detention House. She was later taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp in Tangshan.

On June 10th, Tangshan Domestic Security Division officers arrested Mr. Wang Xiaojun at his workplace, Tangshan Energy College, and took him to the Tangshan Detention House. On the same day, officers from the Kaiping Public Safety Bureau arrested Mr. Sun Li, an employee at the Tangshan Steel Group, and also took him to the Tangshan Detention House. Officers from the local police station and the Tangshan Domestic Security Division arrested Ms. Ge Xuejun who lives on Jichang Road in Tangshan and took her to the Tangshan Detention House.

Liu Shuqing and Yuan Yongfeng from the Luan County Public Security Bureau arrested husband and wife, Mr. Zhou Haiwei and Ms. Yang Li and took them to the Luan County Detention House. Liu and Yuan also confiscated their computers, printers, and other items.

Mr. Wang Xiaojun, Mr. Sun Li and Ms. Ge Xuejun were held in Kaiping Forced Labour Camp. Ms. Ge was later released after she was found to have high blood pressure.

4. Practitioners Taken Directly to a Forced Labour Camp Without Any Paperwork

On May 6th, Ms. Zhang Xiujuan from Jinchuanyuan, Changzhuang Township, Fengrun District was arrested and taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp.

Ms. Yang Xiuchun from Tanghai County was arrested on May 19th and taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp.

Ms. Wang Yuchuan was working in the morning of June 28th. Police officers from the Dongbei District Police Station in Zhaogezhuang, Guzhi District, Tangshan arrested her and searched her home. She was taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp and tortured.

In the afternoon of July 5th, officers from Dazhuangtuo Police Station in Guzhi District, Tangshan arrested Mr. Liu Jianguo from work and sent him to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp without following any legal procedures.

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/2011/7/12/243830.html