(Minghui.org) When three people tried to visit a Falun Gong practitioner at a detention center last month, they were turned away, but then followed and forcibly arrested by the police.
The Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Li Zhiqiang from Dezhou City, Shandong Province, was recently sentenced to four years in prison after being illegally detained for one year and seven months for his belief.
Mr. Li's son, nephew, and friend, Ms. Wang Yanzhi, tried to visit him on July 27, 2015. All three were arrested and taken to the Xincheng Police Station, where they were interrogated and mistreated. Ms. Wang was transferred to the Dezhou City Detention Center.
Arrested for Visiting Mr. Li Zhiqiang
When these three went to visit Mr. Li, they were told that he might be transferred to a prison and thus visitation rights were withdrawn. Therefore they caught a late afternoon bus back to the city.
Three plainclothes officers got on that bus at the Xinghelu Station. At the next bus station, the three people got off the bus. The officers followed and suddenly grabbed them. Mr. Li’s son asked that they show their identification. The police refused and instead video-recorded them.
Then, a car arrived with a group of police officers. The three were surrounded by officers who tried to force them into the car. Since the car did not have enough room, the police called a taxi. They resisted the police. The son’s glasses and bag were confiscated.
“My father is imprisoned by the police because of practicing Falun Gong,” he shouted. “Now you want to arrest us just because we visited him. Falun Gong is good.”
People surrounded them, the taxi driver refused to cooperate with the police and drove away. Eventually, the police called another police car, handcuffed the three and pushed them into the vehicle.
The three were taken to the Xincheng Police Station. The police confiscated all their personal belongings and separated them for interrogation.
Interrogated and Mistreated
Mr. Li's son was taken to the interrogation room, handcuffed to the wall for more than two hours and interrogated for more than three hours.
The nephew was taken to another interrogation room. His hands were tied behind his back and his feet shackled. The interrogation lasted until past midnight. Then he was left in the interrogation room for the night with handcuffs on. His right arm was injured and the handcuffs left a mark on his wrist.
Ms. Wang began to throw up in the police station. She could not talk or even sit still. The police mocked her and said that she pretended to be sick. Then, the police called a doctor who did not treat her. The police turned the air conditioner to very cold and left her like this for the entire night.
A group of officers from the domestic security team and the Xincheng Police Station ransacked Ms. Wang' home for three hours. They confiscated Falun Gong books and materials, banners and many other personal belongings. They did this in front of Ms. Wang's mother-in-law and her granddaughter.
The police demanded that Ms. Wang's daughter come to the police station and interrogated her for over five hours the next morning. They again interrogated Ms. Wang that morning. Ms. Wang's daughter demanded to see her mother and was finally allowed to see her in the afternoon. The police refused to have her mother treated despite her poor health condition.
The police demanded that Mr. Li's nephew provide his contact information and he refused. Therefore, they confiscated his cell phone to get his contact information.
The domestic security police released Mr. Li's son and nephew at 9:00 p.m. However, not until they signed a guarantee statement that promised not to practice Falun Gong and their release forms. They also took blood samples and fingerprinted them.
The police took Ms. Wang to the Dezhou City Detention Center, although her daughter tried to prevent this transfer.
The police issued Ms. Wang's official detention notice and a general letter claiming that Ms. Wang's health was fine.
Participants in the persecution of Mr. Li:Liu Zhong, chief of the Dezhou City Detention Center: +86-534-2187701, +86-13905342103Yu Songyan, chief and CCP party secretary of the Dezhou City Police Department: +86-534-2292077Zhang Baozhen, deputy chief of the Dezhou City Police Department and chief of Dezhou City Economic Developing Zone Police Department: +86-13705342656
Jia Zefeng, caption of the Domestic Security Team in the Dezhou City Economic Developing Zone Police Department: +86-15853452299
Related articles:Shandong Court Denies Practitioner of Legal Representation During Trial
Mr. Li Zhiqiang Facing Trial
Mr. Li Zhiqiang and Ms. Shan Xiufang Arrested
