(Minghui.org) The attorney representing Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Cui Luning was forced to terminate his retainer contract due to repeated threats from the Bureau of Justice and his own law firm in Chongqing in February. During the same month, Ms. Cui's husband, mother and younger brother in Shandong Province were harassed and threatened by the local neighborhood committee, police and 610 Office.
Ms. Cui Luning, along with other practitioners, were illegally arrested and detained on May 2, 2013 for re-enacting the torture methods they suffered in prisons. They were prosecuted after being interrogated with torture.
Attorney Dropped Contract Due to Threats
Mr. Tang Tianhao, attorney for Ms. Cui, had to terminate his contact with Ms. Cui's husband in March due to repeated threats from the Bureau of Justice in Chongqing.
On February 28, 2014, Ms. Cui's husband had a phone conversation with her lawyer, Tang Tianhao. Lawyer Tang said the Bureau of Justice and his law firm in Chongqing had been calling him non-stop, urging him to set aside whatever he was working on and return immediately.
On March 2, Ms. Cui's husband and Mr. Tang spoke over the phone again. Mr. Tang told him that people from the Bureau of Justice said that the case had been broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) and they were under a lot of pressure. They told him to drop Ms. Cui's case immediately.
His law firm also insisted he drop the case, and told him that even if he were to continue working on the case, the paperwork wouldn't be complete without the firm's stamp of approval. Mr. Tang's supervisors also threatened to terminate his employment.
Neighborhood Committee Harasses and Threatens Husband
On the morning of February 17, 2014, Ren Shi'an, director of the Tangshanlu Neighborhood Committee, came to visit, along with a woman. Ms. Cui's husband didn't open the door and asked what they wanted. Ren said they wanted to go in and talk with him. Ms. Cui's husband refused to let them in.
Ren claimed, “You can't live here anymore.” When Ms. Cui's husband asked what right he had to forbid him to live there, Ren responded, “Your household registration is not here anymore. That's why you cannot live here. Leave or else I'll lock your door.”
He added, “You're not allowed to participate in Falun Gong activities. If you don't open the door today, you will face all the consequences.”
Ms. Cui's husband had to stay at a friend's place for over a week. When he returned home on February 26, he couldn't open the door and found that someone had tampered with the lock.
When he managed to get in, he found that the main electricity switch for the house had been turned off. All the food in the fridge had gone bad.
He went to reason with the neighborhood committee. Ren Shi'an emphasized again that he was not allowed to participate in Falun Gong activities.
On March 3, Ren Shi'an and the woman officer came again and asked Ms. Cui's husband what he did in the last few days. Ren also demanded that Ms. Cui's husband report his whereabouts to him.
Mother and Younger Brother Harassed
A few people from the judiciary section of Liyuan Neighborhood Committee of Pingdu City visited Ms. Cui's mother's home on February 13, 2014. They took away all of her Falun Gong books and CDs and confiscated her handbag, which contained over 4,000 yuan in cash, her ID card and bank deposit books.
On March 4, about seven or eight members of the Pingdu City 610 Office went to Ms. Cui's younger brother's home, questioned the younger brother about his whereabouts in the last couple of days, and asked if he had hired a lawyer for Ms Cui.
They also took away his computer, citing that it had Falun Gong music saved on it.
Parties involved in the persecution:
The Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the Shibei District, Pingdu City:
Zhao Yulong (赵宇龙), head: +86-532-85801277, +86-18705327977 Guo (郭), deputy head of the committee and head of the 610 Office: +86-13153250631, +86-532-85801110 Wang Yongping (王永萍), head of Tangshanlu Neighborhood Committee in Licang District: +86-13583257487
Please refer to the original Chinese article for more people and offices involved in this case.
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