(Minghui.org)

Mass Arrests and Subsequent Detainment of Falun Gong Practitioners in Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province

On September 10, 2012, which happened to be “Teacher’s Day,” several dozen police officers were dispatched to raid the residences of three families of Falun Gong practitioners. The following police departments and agencies were involved: the Jiamusi Police Department, Jiamusi State Security Bureau, the Xiangyang Police Department and its subordinate the Jianshe Police Station, the Qiaonan Police Station, the Xilin Police Station, and the Chang’an Police Station.

That night the police pried open doors and illegally arrested a total of 15 people, including three teachers, a recent college graduate, and an eight-year-old schoolgirl. Two college students lay down in front of a police van trying to stop the police from taking away their parents; however, the police threatened to arrest them as well.

In the end, the police sent a total of 10 Falun Gong practitioners to the Jiamusi Detention Center. Nine of them were women, including Liu Lijie, Ren Shuxian, Zhang Shuhua, Zhao Juan, Zhang Shuying, Wang Yingxia, Cui Xiuyun, Xiang Xiaobo, and Qu Yujie. The only male practitioner, Mr. Zhang Limin, is Ms. Qu’s husband.

Practitioners Sent to Forced Labor Camps

Jiamusi Police Department officers dragged the practitioners into police vehicles at 4 a.m. on October 10, 2012, and transferred the female practitioners to Harbin Drug Rehabilitation Center (a labor camp) and Mr. Zhang to Suihua Forced Labor Camp.

Ms. Cui Xiuyun was already suffering from memory loss due to the torture she previously suffered at Jiamusi Detention Center; yet the labor camp still admitted her.

Severe Physical Abuse and Torture

As soon as the female practitioners arrived at the labor camp, they were subjected to brainwashing in attempts to force them to renounce Falun Gong. They were denied family visitation rights that are enjoyed by other detainees.

It was winter and was cold, yet their families had difficulty getting warm clothes to the practitioners. Ms. Xiang Xiaobo’s loved ones dropped off some clothes at the labor camp, yet she never received them.

The guards instigated criminal inmates to brutally torture the practitioners. Practitioners were forced to sit still on a small bench for extended periods of time. This long-term sitting leads to poor blood circulation, which quickly results in sores and infections on the bottom. A few practitioners even became paralyzed from the waist down.

During the torture sessions, the guards cursed at the practitioners and beat them. Under this tremendous physical and mental stress, the health of many of the practitioners deteriorated quickly.

As of this writing, Ms. Xiang Xiaobo has suffered a mental collapse and is in a confused state; Ms. Ren Shuxian has developed heart problems; and Ms. Liu Lijie has back and leg pain.

More Information on the Persecution of Ms. Xiang Xiaobo

 
Ms. Xiang Xiaobo

Ms. Xiang, 52, used to suffer from various ailments, including stomach problems and tonsillitis. All the symptoms disappeared after she began to practice Falun Gong.

After the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999, Ms. Xiang suffered gross mistreatment and torture at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on numerous occasions.

Family Torn Apart and Forced to Live away from Home

When Ms. Xiang's daughter was only six years old, her husband was forced to divorce her. She lost custody of her daughter. Her employer, Jiamusi Pharmaceutical Company, fired her and cancelled her CCP membership soon afterwards.

In order to avoid further persecution by the local authorities, Ms. Xiang was forced to leave home and move from place to place.

Arrested and Detained

Ms. Xiang and several other practitioners were arrested by a group of plainclothes agents from the 610 Office outside Jiamusi Central Hospital at around 2 p.m. on July 2, 2008. The police beat them as they were dragged into a police van.

The practitioners were taken to the Qianjin Police Station, where they were interrogated until around 6:00 in the evening. They were then transferred to the Changhong Police Station, where they were placed with a number of other arrested practitioners.

Sentenced to Forced Labor and Physically Abused

On July 24, 2008, Ms. Xiang Xiaobo, with Ms. Cai Rong, Ms. Qu Yujie, Ms. Qiu Yufen, Ms. Zhao Wenjie, and Ms. Tian Hongying were transferred from the Jiamusi Detention Center to the Jiamusi Forced Labor Camp, while several male practitioners were sent to Suihua Forced Labor Camp.

After arriving at the labor camp, Ms. Xiang was struck in the back by Team Eight head Liu Yadong because she spoke with other practitioners.