(Minghui.org) At least 23 practitioners were illegally arrested last month after the police tapped their phones and tracked them in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, and neighboring counties.
The Shijiazhuang 610 Office, Police Department, and State Security Division mobilized a large number of police, including plainclothes officers, to make the arrests at 6:00 a.m. on November 15, 2013.
The police, working in groups of from seven to thirty, showed up in the practitioners' neighborhoods and broke into their homes. After the arrests, the practitioners' homes were ransacked, and personal belongings including computers, printers, Falun Gong information materials, calendars, and other items were confiscated.
The mass arrests were apparently triggered by the distribution of 180,000 copies of 2014 calendars containing information about Falun Gong. The police didn't say they were searching for the calendars, but stated that they were looking for fliers.
The police department ordered all officers to bring search warrants, arrest warrants, and video recorders with them when the arrests were made. Personnel from the police departments, the residential committees, and the local 610 Offices made the actual arrests.
The officers first laid in wait in front of practitioners' homes at around 5:00 a.m. on November 15. According to witnesses, the police were present at practitioners' homes between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on November 15.
Practitioner Chen Tiankui from Chengjiao Street was arrested by officers from Xili Police Station on November 15. The police ransacked his home and took over 10,000 yuan (around $1661) in cash, along with a computer, and 80 CDs. Ms. Hu Yanxia, his sister-in-law, learned of Mr. Chen's arrest and went to his house with another practitioner, Wei Tianshen. The police also arrested them. Mr. Chen is being held at the First Detention Center of Shijiazhuang. Ms. Hu is being detained in Nanhuachang Detention Center, and Wei Tianshen's whereabouts are unknown.
Practitioner Ms. Niu Minjie was about to take her child to school at 7:00 a.m. on November 15. When she opened the door, a dozen officers (who were in uniform and plainclothes) headed by Liu (about 50 years old) from Yihua Police Station, and Zhao Tianjia, deputy director of Dongyuan Police Station, intruded into her home. They had been waiting for her since 5:00 a.m.
The officers confiscated her computer, Falun Gong books, and other personal belongings. She appeared to have some abnormal physical reactions when she was taken to the police station. The police called for emergency assistance. A doctor came and found that her blood pressure was elevated, at 270/120 mmHg, and she was in critical condition. Ms. Niu's family demanded her immediate release. She was released after the police got confirmation from their supervisor.
Ms. Zhang Shuyun was an actress. The police broke into her home on the morning of November 15. They didn't find Ms. Zhang, but her husband was at home. They took her computer, printer, and desk calendars. They arrested Ms. Zhang later, since she had a show in Boding City, and escorted her back to Shijiazhuang City.
Practitioner Mr. Wang Xiaofeng from Huachengluzhou was arrested by officers from Qiaodong District Police Station and Huitonglu Police Station. He is being held in the First Detention Center of Shijiazhuang.
Practitioner Ms. Bai Caiping was arrested on the morning of November 15 and detained in Lianmeng Road Police Station. The detention center refused to accept her due to her hypertension. She was released that evening.
Practitioner Ms. Qi Xiangcai was arrested when she went to visit Ms. Bai Caiping at her home. Officers from Xinhua Police Station, Dongqiao Police Station, and Lianmeng Road Police Station, led by Liu Ruijun, director of the Lianmeng Road Police Station, and officer Wang Zhigang, broke into Ms. Qi's house and ransacked it. At the time of ransacking, only Ms. Qi's child was home, and the police raid terrified him. Ms. Qi is being detained in the Second Detention Center of Shijiazhuang.
Practitioner Mr. Song Aichang, from the 54th Complex, along with his wife and daughter, were arrested on the morning of November 15. His wife and daughter were released. Mr. Song was transferred to Nanhuachang Detention Center.
Ms. Cheng Wenfan was arrested by officers from Qiaodong Police Station and Penghou Street Police Station. Their house was ransacked. Because of her hypertension and diabetes symptoms, the detention center refused to take her. She was released on the afternoon of November 16.
Practitioner Xi Yanjun was arrested at about 7:00 a.m. on November 15, and is being detained in the Second Detention Center of Shijiazhuang.
Practitioner Ms. Meng Defan was also arrested at about the same time. Her whereabouts are unknown.
Ms. Feng Xiaomei was surrounded by police for over 15 hours. Her son was stopped by eight police officers who were coming to search his house as he was heading out to work. By clarifying the truth, Ms. Feng persuaded the police to leave. However, some officers from the local area wandered into the neighborhood. Ms. Feng's 70-year-old mother was terrified by the police harassment and fell ill again. Ms. Feng's son was afraid to come home.
The police arrested practitioner Mr. Dong Zhanhai from Luquan City, and ransacked his house. Ten officers led by Zhang Bosuo, director of the Shangzhuang District Police Station in Luquan City, broke into Mr. Dong's home in Lijing Garden, Shangzhuang, and arrested him on November 15, 2013. They confiscated two computers, a printer, two cell phones, calendars, disks, Master Li's photo, Falun Gong books, his driver's license, car key, and house keys.
Officers went to ransack Mr. Dong's house in Taitou Village at 11:00 a.m., but didn't find anything.
Mr. Dong's family went to the police station to deliver some clothing for him at 1:30 p.m. They saw that Mr. Dong was being taken away by the police, and were told that he was being taken for a checkup in Luquan City. The plate number of the police car was 3672.
Practitioners An Sanqing, Xing Shenghui, and Zhang Yingtong from Pingshan County were arrested.
Four practitioners, including An Sanqing, Xing Shenghui, Zhang Yingtong, and Dong Chunsheng, from Pingshan County, were arrested at their homes by officers from the local police station. Twelve officers led by Liu Xiuwei, director of Huishe Police Station, cut off Mr. An's electrical service before breaking into his house at 5:00 a.m. They arrested him, ransacked the house, and confiscated a computer, two printers, and over 1,000 CDs.
Officers led by Wang Yanping, deputy director of Pingshan Police Department, broke into practitioner Mr. Zhang Yingtong's home in Fengxudaqi Village in Dawu County. The officers forcibly held him down and ransacked his house. He was taken to the Pingshan Police Department.
Practitioner Mr. Dong Chunsheng's computer was confiscated. He was released on November 15 at about 8:00 p.m.
Practitioners An Sanqing, Zhang Yingtong, and Xing Shenghui are being detained in Lingshou County Detention Center. It was said that Cui Guoqiang, deputy director of Pingshan Police Department, had primary responsibility for the arrests.
Police from Luencheng County broke into the home of Mr. Yan Ruimin and arrested him at 6:00 a.m. on November 15. The officers ransacked his home and confiscated many personal belongings. No one knows where Mr. Yan is being detained.
Meanwhile, officers from Nangao Police Station broke into the home of Ms. Liu Huicai and arrested her. She is being held at the Luencheng County Police Department.
Practitioner Ms. Li Aiqiang, who lived in Huabeixiecheng, was from Boding City. Through the Boding Police Department, Taoyuan Police Station officers arrested him in Huabeixiecheng. He was taken to a detention center in Nanerhuan. The police took his Falun Gong books, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, Falun Gong informational materials, and his identification card.
Practitioners Zhang Lizhen from Zhao County, Liu Huicai from Yuanshi, Xie Xiaowen from Shenzhou, and Song Yanhui were arrested on the morning of November 15.
The mass arrests involved many practitioners from different regions. Like the 225 mass arrests orchestrated by the 610 Office that took place in a short period of time in 2012, they were made early in the morning to keep from attracting attention.
Shijiazhuang City Police Department: Cheng Weiqing, deputy director (responsible for the detention of Falun Gong practitioners): +86-13931977066 (Cell)
Shijiazhuang City 610 Office: Liang Jianbin, director: +86-311-86686716 (Office), +86-311-85804135 (Home), +86-13653312118 (Cell)
Please refer to the original Chinese text for more names and telephone numbers.