Jiamusi Practitioner Liu Jie Arrested, Property Stolen by Authorities while Family Was Reporting Her Missing

On July 24th, 2012, Ms. Liu Jie from Dongfeng District of Jiamusi, suddenly disappeared and was missing for three days. Her family looked for her everywhere and reported her disappearance to the local police station. The police searched and ransacked her home instead of helping her family find Ms. Liu. Authorities told her family that she had been arrested and was being held in the detention centre.

The afternoon of her disappearance, Ms. Liu's husband searched for her at their relatives homes, the local hospital, and Jiadong Police Station of Dongfeng Police Department. Having no success, he and the family were very worried. They brought her photo to the local police station and reported her missing. They received no information from the authorities until the morning of July 27th, 2012, when Changsheng Police Station staff notified them that Ms. Liu had been arrested and was being held at the city detention centre. On the afternoon of July 27th, Changsheng Police Station officers broke into Ms. Liu's home, ransacked it and confiscated personal belongings including a personal computer, printer, and 42 yuan¹ worth of notes with messages exposing the persecution of Falun Gong written on them.

At around 10:00 p.m. on July 27th, Ms. Liu's youngest daughter went to the Changsheng Police Station along with her aunt to request her mother's release and the return of their personal belongings. The authorities refused and claimed that the personal computer had to be examined.

At 9:00 a.m. on July 30th, Ms. Liu's family went to Changsheng Police Station again to request her release. The police officers used various excuses to turn them away, and claimed that the person in charge of Ms. Liu's case was away at a meeting. Her family finally met the person in charge, Yan Limin, deputy police chief of Changsheng Police Station. The family shared with him the positive changes in Ms. Liu Jie after she practised Falun Gong; that she was a good person and her distributing DVD's exposing the persecution of Falun Gong was meant to let more people know the truth and benefit from it. Yan Limin replied, “I cannot decide this myself; it's up to the central government policy. If you want to appeal, you'll have to go to the Dongfeng Police Department, since the police chief there signed her 15-day detention order.” Ms. Liu's relatives were told by officers that she shouted “Falun Gong is good” as she was forced to undergo a medical examination at the hospital.

On August 1st, her relatives went to the Dongfeng Police Department. While talking to the front gate officer on duty, her family asked, “Changsheng Police Station staff told us that the detention was set for 15 days. Why is she being held in the long term detention centre instead of the short term one?” An officer surnamed He replied, “They are probably going to sentence her, since she is not formally detained in the long term detention centre. However, if you pay them, she will be released.” Her family said, “We don't have any money.” Office He's face suddenly turned dark, “Without money, you'll have to shut up and deal with it.”

In the following days, Ms. Liu's elderly mother in her 70's, younger sister, and 14-year-old youngest daughter visited the Changsheng Police Station every day to request her release, but were refused. When her family requested the police station to provide the warrant for her arrest and detention, and also the list of confiscated items, the authorities denied their requests. Her family questioned Yan Limin about her release after 15 days; Yan said, “Not determined yet. I am not the man in charge.”

Background

Ms. Liu is 48 years old. She suffered from various diseases prior to practising Falun Gong, including rheumatoid arthritis, arteriosclerosis, gastritis, enteritis, kidney disease, and gynaecological disease. During her worst episodes, she couldn't even lift cooking utensils. After practising Falun Gong, she strived to be a good person according to the principles of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. Her diseases subsequently disappeared. She learned how to be tolerant of others, and often helped care for others.

Previous Arrest

At 10:00 a.m. on January 29th, 2010, her older sister and neighbours came to visit her. Jiaoqu Police Department officers along with five officers from Yingjun Police Station broke into her yard and deceived her youngest daughter into opening the door. They swarmed in and confiscated Falun Gong books, truth clarification materials, an MP3 player and electronic books, and other personal belongings. Her 11-year-old daughter was frightened by the police break-in and started crying. The police then dragged Ms. Liu into a police vehicle, ripping her clothes. Both Ms. Liu and her sister were taken to the Jiaoqu Police Station. Ms. Liu was detained for 15 days, causing great suffering for her family.

Perpetrators:

Changsheng Police Station, Jiamusi

Jin Cheng, police chief, +86-15046463866

Cong Wensheng, deputy chief: +86-13684548938

Yan Limin, deputy chief and main perpetrator: +86-18645451642, police ID number: 050379

Yang Zhonghua, political instructor: +86-13836606696

Liu Liguo: +86-13212844123

Note

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