(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zhang Litian, originally from Laizhou City, Shandong Province, worked at the Chaoyang City Fine Steel Plant in Liaoning Province. After he began to practice Falun Dafa, he strictly followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. When encountering conflicts, he tried to endure and treat people with forbearance, and he always worked very hard. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Dafa, Mr. Zhang Litian was harassed and persecuted several times by the local police.
In April 2008, Mr. Zhang was arrested in Shangdong Province by the branch teams from the Jinzhou City Police and Taihe Police of Liaoning Province and he was then taken to Jinzhou, where he was illegally detained at the No. 1 Detention Center. In August 2008, he was sentenced to five years in the No. 20 Section of Jinzhou Prison. Three months later, on November 17, he was beaten to death by Cheng Jun, director of the No. 20 Section, assistant director Zhang Baozhi, and prison inmates.
After Mr. Zhang was beaten to death, the prison lied to his family, saying that he had died from a heart attack. After his family requested a third-party check on the autopsy, the prison removed his body from the funeral home. Then, together with the Jinzhou Procuratorate, the prison turned down his family's request and also transferred criminals Li Yong and Liu Peiyan to other places. After the international media exposed the case, the two criminals were transferred back to Jinzhou Prison. At this time, Jinzhou Prison is still refusing to give his family a death certificate.
Mr. Zhang Litian's family has requested that an unbiased third party conduct an autopsy to determine the real cause of his death and possibly prove criminal liability. They have visited three Procuratorates, and each has denied responsibility. Following is the letter from his family.
Accusation Letter
Accusers:
Zhang Guangtian, male, born on March 24, 1969, farmer, lives in No. 509 in Zhuma Village, Shahe Town, Laizhou City, Shandong Province
Zhang Mintian, male, born on November 7, 1976, farmer, lives in No. 510 in Zhuma Village, Shahe Town, Laizhou City, Shandong Province
Request:
- Investigate the cause of death of Zhang Litian: Allow his family to request that an autopsy be performed by a third party.
- To find those responsible for beating Mr. Zhang Litian to death.
Facts and Reasons:
After 9:00 a.m. on November 18, 2008, accuser Mr. Zhang Guangtian received a notice from the village that said Mr. Zhang Litian had died in Jinzhou Prison. We called Jinzhou Prison and asked for the reasons for his death. Zhang Baozhi, the No. 20 section director, told us, "Zhang had a heart attack. They tried to revive him but failed." He told us to go to Jinzhou. Our family didn't believe that Zhang Litian died from a heart attack, because he did not have this type of illness. When he was alive, he operated a crane at Chaoyang Fine Steel Plant and his heart was definitely healthy. Last month, our aunt went to Jinzhou Prison to visit him and said he was in good condition, mentally and physically. Moreover, we had just received a letter from him a few days prior.
On the morning of November 24, 2008, we saw Mr. Zhang's body at the Jinzhou City funeral home. The surface of his body was covered with wounds. Especially near his heart area, there were obvious wound marks. We also noticed a mark the size of a hand on the left side of his chest and in the center of the mark there was a hole the size of a livestock-grade ear of corn. Mr. Zhang Litian's eyes were wide open. Our family members all agreed that these wound marks were caused by an outside force and also agreed that he was probably beaten to death. Moreover, news came from Jinzhou Prison that he was beaten to death by the section director Cheng Jun, Zhang Baozhi, and criminals Li Yong and Liu Peiyan. In the afternoon of the same day, accompanied by our attorney, we requested that the Jinzhou City District "Procuratorate" allow us to conduct an autopsy in order to determine the cause of his death. On the morning of November 28, Liu Fei from the criminal investigative unit of Jinzhou City Procuratorate said they would only allow the No. 1 Affiliated General Hospital of Liaoning Province Medical College in Jinzhou City to conduct an autopsy. We felt it inappropriate to let a local hospital do it (it was very possible that they would be involved in deceit). We asked for a medical examiner from elsewhere to conduct an autopsy so that it would it be just and fair. Our request was reasonable and legal, and there have been similar cases. Not long ago, in a case stating that police from Harbin beat people to death, their autopsies were not conducted by the local hospital. Instead, medical examiners from Beijing, Harbin, and a third party performed the autopsies.
Human lives are at stake! To satisfy our family's wish, we firmly state our request to investigate the reasons causing his death. Since the Jinzhou City District Procuratorate did not agree, we sent our request to the Jinzhou City Procuratorate on November 28 and asked to have medical examiners from Beijing conduct an autopsy, which is our right. On December 4, accompanied by our attorney, we went to the Jinzhou City Procuratorate. Li Shicheng showed the attorney a document and the attorney pointed out that there was no law saying that conducting an autopsy must be done by the local procuratorate. As long as it is a nationally certified medical examiner, they should be able to conduct the autopsy. Li Shicheng agreed that they could ask a medical examiner from Beijing to conduct an autopsy, but they had to assign one for us. We agreed. A few days later, he asked us to pay 50,000 yuan and also asked us to write a letter and send it to the city District Procuratorate and then that District Procuratorate would transfer our request letter to the City Procuratorate. Thus the City Procuratorate would then have the right to accept our case.
However, on December 15, the Jinzhou City Procuratorate returned Zhang Litian's case to the District Procuratorate, and the District Procuratorate mailed our request letter back to our hometown in Shandong Province. After we again submitted our case, the Jinzhou City Procuratorate changed their minds and said they would continue to handle it. However, on December 17, the Jinzhou City Procuratorate again refused and notified us that they had made an agreement with the District Procuratorate, and that the District Procuratorate would conduct an autopsy. The District Procuratorate would not allow us to hire a medical examiner from Beijing to conduct an autopsy. On the morning of December 23, 2008, we went to the Liaoning Provincial Procuratorate to continue with our complaint. They would not accept our case and told us to go to the Appeals Office in the Procuratorate. We went to the Appeals Office and told them that we wanted to hire a medical examiner from Beijing to conduct an autopsy in order to determine the cause of Zhang Litian's death. A staff member said, "Your request is too much. We will not accept your case. Go back to Jinzhou. Go, go." We left Shenyang bitterly disappointed.
On the morning of December 29, 2008, accompanied by two attorneys, we went to Jinzhou Prison to ask for Zhang Litian's death certificate. The warden of Jinzhou Prison, Xin Tingquan, refused to see us. The attorney called Zhang Baozhi, director of the No. 20 section, and asked him for the death certificate. Zhang Baozhi said, "Haven't you submitted the case to the Procuratorate? I only talk to the Procuratorate." After that, we and our attorney went to the Jinzhou City District Procuratorate and met the person in charge, whose name is Liu Fei. Liu Fei was very rude. The attorney asked Liu Fei to call Zhang Baozhi, but he said, "There is no need. We will talk in private." The attorney talked to him about allowing a Beijing medical examiner to conduct an autopsy. Liu Fei firmly insisted that it should be done by the No. 1 Affiliated General Hospital of Liaoning Province Medical College in Jinzhou City. He would not agree to the family's request. He even refused to discuss the suggestion from the Jinzhou City Procuratorate that stated we could choose any organization in Liaoning Province to conduct an autopsy.
Zhang Litian died on November 17, 2008, and on the same day his body was moved to a funeral home in Jinzhou City. On the morning of November 24, we saw his body and requested an autopsy. We were later told by an insider that on November 26 at 9:00 a.m., Jinzhou Prison secretly transferred the body back to Jinzhou Prison. The prison ordered the funeral staff to keep quiet and not tell any outsiders. On December 17, we asked Li Shicheng, "Where is Zhang Litian's body?" Li said, "It is in the crematorium." We asked again, "Where on earth is my elder brother's body?" Li replied, "I don't know." In the afternoon on December 18, five people from the Jinzhou Procuratorate were on site, and we asked them, "Where is Zhang Litian's body?" Li Shicheng replied, "In the prison." It is very suspicious that Jinzhou Prison transferred the body back to the prison. They violated the law and interfered with the legal process. This case has been set up by the Procuratorate and the body is the only evidence. We suspect that Jinzhou Prison is recklessly damaging evidence and wants to evade its legal responsibilities.
On December 17, 2008, in order to hide the truth and eliminate evidence, some related staff members transferred the two criminals who beat Zhang Litian to death, Liu Peiyan and Li Yong, from Jinzhou Prison to Shenyang No. 2 Prison. After this event was exposed, before the 2009 Chinese Lunar New Year, Jinzhou Prison transferred these two criminals back to Jinzhou Prison in order to deflect attention from the situation.
Our family members have visited three procuratorates in the last forty days. They are all avoiding their responsibilities and causing delays. If Zhang Litian really died due to normal causes, why are they trying so hard to prevent Beijing medical examiners conducting an autopsy? If, as they claim, he died from a heart attack, they should not be afraid of any medical examiner confirming that conclusion.
We ask that the Supreme Procuratorate accept this case, and make decisions for the benefit of the people and protect the dignity of the law.
Accusers:
Mr. Zhang Litian's elder brother: Zhang Guangtian
Younger Brother: Zhang Mintian
January 2009
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