Ms. He Suying Diagnosed with Heart Disease in Detention Centre

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. He Suying, 52, from Tangshan City, Hebei Province, was diagnosed with heart disease in a detention centre on February 25th, 2012. Her heart stops approximately two times every hour. Because of her serious condition, she has been taken to Fengrun District Chinese Medicine Hospital.

It was said that Ms. He could die at any time. For the time being, she was made to carry a heart monitor device, so that she can be monitored at all times. Despite the gravity of her condition, the local police have not released her, nor do they allow her family to visit her.

Ms. He's Arrest

Twenty police officers from Fengrun County Police Bureau and Linyinlu Police Bureau broke into Ms. He's home at 9:00 a.m. on February 25th, 2012. Six to seven plainclothes officers pretending to be staff members from the local residential management committee first broke into her home. They ransacked the home, searching everywhere, including her three-month-old grandson's crib. They confiscated her bankbook and three bankcards, one computer, one printer, a DVD burner, Falun Gong books and materials, three mobile phones, and an MP4 player. They also confiscated two vehicles, more than 80,000 yuan¹ in cash, and even some coins. The total loss amounted to more than 100,000 yuan. Her three-month-old grandson was so upset that he was crying non-stop throughout the ordeal.

Police officers illegaly arrested Ms. He, her husband, and her brother, and took them to the Linyinlu Police Station. The police threatened them because they would not “confess to their crimes.” Her brother was released around noontime, and her husband returned home that night. They first had to swear at Teacher Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, otherwise the police wouldn't release them. In the evening, Ms. He was transferred to Fengrun Detention Centre.

On March 10th, Ms. He's husband went to Linyinlu Police Station to demand the return of their belongings, but he was unsuccessful. After repeatedly trying to get his property back, they returned his cell phone.

On March 22nd, Ms. He's husband and brother went to the Linyinlu Police Station to ask for the return of their bankcards, the cash confiscated, and other items. They were given 3,900 yuan, three bank cards, and one MP4 player.

On April 10th, when Ms. He's family members went to the Linyinlu Police Station to demand her release, officers shut the door on them.

On May 22nd, Ms. He's family went to the Linyinlu Police Station again to demand her release. Police officers said, “If you go to talk to Hu Jintao (the Chinese president), we will release her.” It's widely known that under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) if you appeal to the government, you will be treated as being “against the law.” If you speak the truth, you are treated as violating the law, and you'll be persecuted.

One time when her family members went to a nearby county hospital, they happened to see Ms. He being treated. Ms. He, who was in pain, was surrounded by several police officers, so her family members didn't dare to walk up to her. The police told them that Ms. He's heart was stopping two times every hour and that this was very dangerous.

On June 4th when Ms. He's brother went to Linyinlu Police Station to demand her release again, the head of the police station ran away. When her family members went to the detention centre to visit Ms. He, detention centre officials said that they could see her on the condition that they got permission from the Political and Legal Committee.

Conditions in the detention centre are said to be very harsh. Detainees are humiliated and beaten by guards and inmates, who slap their faces, pull their hair, twist their arms, kick them, and hit their backs with handcuffs. Police officers also search them and their beds repeatedly, throwing their clothes, blankets, and other personal items everywhere.

The food provided at the detention center is very poor. Breakfast is a small bowel of congee and a small bit of preserved vegetable. Lunch includes steamed buns that are not well cooked and soup with very few vegetables in it, with sand at the bottom of the bowl. At night, it's congee again with small cornmeal buns. That is not enough to fill up one's stomach. At the same time, prisoners are not allowed to bring in food from outside, so if they want to buy food, they have to buy it from the detention centre where everything is very highly priced, and sometimes they are even forced to buy it.

Participants in the persecution of Ms. He:
Yang Junyi, person in charge of Linyinlu Police Station
Zhang Xuewu and Fu Wenguo, associate heads of Linyinlu Police Station
Ma Xiangzhong, political instructor
Fu Xiaohua, police officer
Twenty other police officers

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.