(Minghui.org) A 69-year-old man in Harbin City remains detained following his arrest on May 24, 2018, for pasting a self-adhesive sticker reading “Falun Dafa is good” in a public place. Mr. Zhao Lin's colleagues and friends are calling for his release.
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a meditation and spiritual discipline based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The group has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999.
Mr. Zhao's home was searched shortly after his arrest. The responsible parties included Chief Wang Shengguo of Xianfenglu Police Station and his officers, Liu Sheng and Fu Bohan; Zhang Xumin of Nangang Domestic Security Office; and officer Sun Baochuan of Tongtian Police Station.
Mr. Zhao's daughter-in-law and one-month-old grandson, who live together with him, were terrified as the police broke in and ransacked his home.
Mr. Zhao's wife visited Zhang Xumin many times to request her husband's release. Zhang cursed her and threatened to arrest her.
Zhang submitted the case to Nangang District Procuratorate on June 20. Mr. Zhao is now facing indictment for his faith.
Mr. Zhao's family didn't have much money, and he always worried about supporting his loved ones. He sought comfort in smoking and drinking and saw no hope in life. His outlook totally changed after he began practicing Falun Gong in 1996. He quit smoking and drinking and found a brighter outlook on life. He also regained his health.
Mr. Zhao was a warehouse manager at Harbin Bearing Factory before his retirement. While many people in similar positions took home items from their companies' inventory, he did not do so because Falun Gong taught him not to take advantage of others.
Mr. Zhao found a job at a telecommunications company after his retirement. His new employer sometimes struggled to pay its workers, and Mr. Zhao would lend his pension to help out his colleagues.
His new job required him to patrol and guard cables. Rain or shine, he always did his job well. He won trust and respect from his boss and colleagues.
Mr. Zhao was hit by an electric scooter in 2013 while on his bike to check on cable lines. The bridge of his nose was broken, among other injuries. He also passed out from the impact. When he came to, he told the scooter driver not to worry and that he would not seek compensation because the driver did not hit him intentionally.
When he returned to work a few days later, his colleagues couldn't believe he'd handle the accident the way he did. He explained that as a Falun Gong practitioner, it was second nature for him to always be considerate of others.
His former and current colleagues, as well as his friends, were shocked upon learning of his arrest. They defended his constitutional right to freedom of belief and are calling for his release.