(Minghui.org) During her six-year prison term, Ms. Lou Caihua (娄彩华) was subjected to brainwashing, forced labor, beatings, sleep deprivation, and numerous other abuses. She was arrested in February 2008 after hiring a lawyer to seek medical parole for another Falun Gong practitioner who had been tortured in the notorious Masanjia Labor Camp.
Shortly before Ms. Lou's release, her copies of the initial verdict and the appellate court's affirmation were taken away by a prison official, who refused to return the documents upon her release. She suspects that the prison did so to hide evidence that can be used to file lawsuits against perpetrators of her abuse.
Tortured for Hiring Lawyers
On February 17, 2008, Ms. Lou hired two lawyers to seek medical parole for another Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Feng Guofu, who was in critical condition as a result of torture suffered in Masanjia Labor Camp. The lawyers and Mr. Feng's family traveled to Shenyang, but were arrested at their hotel before dawn on February 19.
At the same time, several police officers broke into Ms. Lou's home, arrested her, and seized her computers, printer, and Falun Gong books and videos. Ms. Lou's husband and her teenage son watched as the head of the local Domestic Security Division, Chen Zhi, slapped her in the face during the violent arrest.
Ms. Lou refused to answer any questions during the subsequent interrogation and hearing. Instead, she challenged, “Can't a citizen hire a lawyer, regardless of who the citizen is? Can't a citizen hire a lawyer for someone else, regardless of who they are?” Court officers responded, “Don's ask us about it. Think about it yourself,” and during her appeal, “It's not up to us to decide. We have to look into this.”
Ms. Lou was sentenced to six years in prison for “practicing Falun Gong, hiring lawyers to engage in a lawsuit, and using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a typical charge used by the Communist regime to sentence Falun Gong practitioners as part of its suppression campaign.
In addition, Ms. Lou's family reported that their car, which was used to take the lawyers to Shenyang in February 2008, was impounded and driven around by police officers for approximately eight months.
Ms. Lou was sent to Liaoning Women's Prison for six years, where she was subjected to brainwashing, beatings, and torture for her beliefs. Guards instigated inmates to carry out these abuses, including denying her of restroom use.
Sent to Forced Labor Camp after Appealing for Falun Gong
Ms. Lou previously suffered from heart disease. She recalled that after starting to practice Falun Gong in November 1998, she regained her health within days.
After the Communist Party launched its violent nationwide persecution of Falun Gong, Ms. Lou traveled to Beijing in 2000 to petition the central government. She was arrested, beaten, and interrogated.
The next day, Ms. Lou was taken back to her hometown of Lingyuan. She managed to escape en route, with the help of her husband. However, her husband and the driver of the escape vehicle were arrested while Ms. Lou was in hiding at her relative's home.
Using threats and sleep deprivation, the police forced Ms. Lou's husband to disclose his wife's whereabouts. The driver was beaten, shocked with electric batons, and detained for eight days until Ms. Lou's husband sent money to the authorities.
Simply for petitioning the government in Beijing, Ms. Lou was given three years in a forced labor camp. She was released on medical parole three months later, after her husband spent more than 30,000 yuan pleading her case with the Lingyuan Police Department, the Hongshan Police Station and the Lingyuan Domestic Security Division.
Related article:Ms. Lou Caihua Subjected to Cruel Torture At Liaoning Women's Prison
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