(Minghui.org) The deputy chief of the Ciyu Township Police Station and three other officers broke into our home on February 26, 2014. After they ransacked my personal belongings and confiscated more than 5,000 yuan, they arrested my father Mr. Zhang Jinsuo, who is in his sixties. They took him to the Lingshou County Detention Center.
Without following any legal procedures and not based on any legal grounds, the police broke into our residence and arrested a law-abiding citizen. Their reason? My father practices Falun Gong and believes in Truth-Compassion-Forbearance. I cannot understand this—what is wrong with believing in Truth-Compassion-Forbearance? Why should practicing Falun Gong put one's personal freedom and assets in jeopardy?
In our village my father is regarded as an honest and kind person. No one can understand why the police would arrest him. As his daughter, I see how kind and sincere he is to others. At home and in society, he is a model of peacefulness and kindness. What harm could he possibly do to society? How could such a kind person be branded a criminal? When such a good person is being so wronged, shouldn't there be a way for us to appeal?
I have a very limited education, but I understand the basic principal of justice: The law should protect the good people and punish the criminals. Given the situation, our family had to hire a lawyer.
At first, I had ambivalent feelings about my father's arrest; some of the government's propaganda about the persecution of Falun Gong had seeped into my mind. Our lawyer explained the ethical and legal perspectives of the persecution, and I became clear that my father had not done anything wrong. The arresting offices and those who plotted against my father from behind the scenes are the ones in the wrong. They are committing a crime.
The lawyer said that the police department uses Section 300 of the criminal code: "Using an Evil Cult to Undermine Implementation of the Law" to arrest practitioners, but that that is a misuse of the law. There are no laws that say Falun Gong is an “evil cult.” What law was my father preventing the implementation of by practicing Falun Gong? My father is in his 60s, and he spends most of his time at home. How could he possibly undermine the implementation of any law or regulation?
The lawyer also told me that the persecution of Falun Gong is a typical scapegoating tactic used during political campaigns to terrorize the population and consolidate power. He said that the persecution is outside the legislative process and is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and its state-run media.
I understood what he said. The Chinese constitution guarantees freedom of belief and freedom of speech and that a citizen's body and property should not be violated. Clearly, my father should not be sentenced because of his belief in Falun Gong. And, since it is not illegal to practice Falun Gong, possession of Falun Gong books, DVDs and other such materials should not be used as “criminal evidence” against a person.
My father's life has been tough. My mother developed breast cancer and passed away, and both my younger sister and brother died of gas poisoning. As a result, he was wounded mentally. If not for the cultivation practice of Falun Gong, which strengthened him mentally and physically, my father would not be alive today.
In 2001, my father was sentenced to prison due to his belief. History is now repeating itself. I have not seen my dad for two months, and I worry about him so much. He is over 60 years old, and he cannot handle the pressure. On February 21 when the lawyer was meeting with me, he told me that my father's teeth were not strong enough to chew the food he is given. He is very weak.
The lawyer also told me, "History shows us that when people participate in persecution, they themselves are eventually punished." Therefore, if the evildoers give up persecuting others, they free themselves. Police officers who have not participated in the persecution have ensured their safety from karmic retribution. I hope everyone will understand this point and create a hopeful future. I hope to gain support from people in all walks of life and free my father, Mr. Zhang Jinsuo, as soon as possible!
