(Clearwisdom.net) Since July 1999, the law enforcement departments in Laishui County, Hebei Province, including the public security bureau, the court and the Procuratorate, have repeatedly tortured local Falun Gong practitioners physically and spiritually. Moreover, they have repeatedly extorted money from practitioners and sometimes have even outright stolen their money and personal belongings in broad daylight. The following is a partial list of victims and a brief summary of the extortion.
Ms. Zhao Xiuqin
While she was practicing the Falun Gong exercises in a plaza in March 2000, the local police arrested her and threw her into a forced brainwashing center in Laishui's Communist Party School, where the police extorted 2,000 yuan from her.
Mr. Yan Hequan (43 years old) and Ms. Zhang Lihua (40 years old)
Mr. and Mrs. Yan Hequan are both practitioners in Beilongquan Village, Shiting Town, Laishui County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. They went to Beijing on July 20, 1999, and tried to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong at the State Appeals Office, but the Beijing Public Security Bureau arrested them and transferred them to Baoding City's Public Security Bureau. The Laishui County Branch of the Public Security Bureau brought them back to Laishui County and locked them in a forced brainwashing center for five days to attempt to make them renounce Falun Gong. The Shiting Town Police extorted 400 yuan from them.
Ms. Zhang Yuzhen (40 years old)
Ms. Zhang is a Falun Gong practitioner in Beilongquan Village, Shiting Town, Laishui County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. On August 26, 2002, policemen from Shiting Town Police Station broke into her home and ransacked it without a search warrant. They confiscated several hundred copies of informational materials about Falun Gong. The police arrested Ms. Zhang and illegally detained her for five days in the Shiting Town Police Station, where they repeatedly subjected her to torture before locking her in the Laishui County Detention Center. The police extorted 15,000 yuan from Ms. Zhang Yuzhen in exchange for her release.
Ms. Wu Yanshui had 2,000 yuan extorted from her and 5,000 from her family
On September 28, 2000, the Mayor of Beilongquan Village and staff members from the Shiting Town government lured Ms. Wu Yanshui to the town's forced brainwashing center, where they extorted 2,000 yuan from her. Afterwards, they transferred her to a detention center and illegally detained her for nearly two months. After placing false criminal charges on her for practicing Falun Gong, they transferred her to another detention center and illegally detained her for over four months. At the detention center, Ms. Wu was repeatedly subjected to torture, which caused severe damage to her health. When she was on the brink of death, her family repeatedly demanded her immediate release. The police finally agreed to release her for the price of 5,000 yuan.
Ms. Wang Shuqin, had 2,200 yuan extorted from her at the Laishui County Communist Party School in April 2000
The police arrested Ms. Wang and illegally detained her in the detention center until her family agreed to pay the ransom of 400 yuan. On May 13, 2003, the police illegally ransacked her home and stole a television set, a VCD player, a tape recorder and two VCR's.
Ms. Liu Yumin
While Ms. Liu was illegally detained in the Laishui County Communist Party School in April 2000, she had 2,200 yuan extorted from her. In 2002, the police arrested her and illegally detained her in the detention center. The staff at the detention center extorted 300 yuan from her family without her knowledge.
Mr. Chen Xibao had 1,500 yuan extorted from him while he was illegally detained in a detention center after appealing for Falun Gong on July 20, 1999.
Mr. Zheng Dexin had 300 yuan extorted from him for the second time, while he was illegally detained in a detention center.
Mr. Zhao Xiliang
Lou Village Police Station illegally confiscated Mr. Zhao's three-wheeled moped and 700 yuan in cash on October 6, 2000, amounting to a total loss of 8,000 yuan.
Ms. Liu Xiuhong
Ms. Liu was illegally detained in a local Communist Party School where she had 22,000 yuan extorted from her. In addition, Shiting Town government extorted an additional 1,000 yuan from her.
A partial list of victims in Yi'an Town, Laishui County:
Ms. Yang Xiulan, Ms. Lu Xiulan, Ms. Zhang Yuhua, Ms. Jia Xiuli, Ms. Li Yuhua, Ms. Li Xiuling, Ms. Xin Shufen, and Li Huaiyou (gender unspecified) were all victims of extortion in the amount of 250 yuan each.
A partial list of victims of extortion in Laishui Town, Laishui County:
Mr. Xia Hongmin: 3,600 yuan
Mr. Zhao Lianmin: 6,430 yuan
Mr. Xia Shudong: 300 yuan
Mr. Xia Shulong: 7,800 yuan
Ms. Xia Yanli: The police stole her gold necklace while searching her.
Ms. Zhou Xiuying: 200 yuan
Mr. Chen Ximing: He was held in the Zuchongzhi Forced Brainwashing Center after he appealed for Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. During his detention at the brainwashing center, he was forced to pay 100 yuan in living expenses. The head of another detention center later robbed him of 200 yuan in cash.
Ms. Liu Guiying: 1,700 yuan. The police also stole 1,200 yuan from her wallet while she was illegally held in a detention center.
Ms. Ren Shuqin: 200 yuan
Ms. Zhao Shufen: On her trip to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, the Beijing police confiscated 90 yuan from her while searching her.
Ms. Yin Kemin: 200 yuan
Ms. Shi Guimei: 200 yuan
Mr. Jin Fuchang: The 610 Office in Zhuozhou lured her to Sunzhuang and locked her into the Zhuozhou City Detention Center where they extorted of 2,000 yuan from her.
Ms. Liu Guixiang: 100 yuan