Mr. Xu Xiangzhi and Mr. Zhao Yunlong from Tangshan City, Hebei Province, Sentenced to Forced Labour

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Within the last six months Mr. Xu Xiangzhi and Mr. Zhao Yunlong from Dafenggu Village in Yuehe Town, the Kaiping District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province, were arrested and sentenced to forced labour by Yuehe Police Station personnel.

Both of them were previously arrested by officers from Kaiping District Police Station on April 6th, 2007, and detained in the First Detention Centre in Tangshan City. That same year on May 1st, they were sent to Shijiazhuang Forced Labour Camp for two years of forced labour. In the labour camp, they were closely monitored, inhumanely tortured for over three months, and forced to do slave labour. When Mr. Xu was released 17 months later, his hair had turned white and he had become thin and scrawny. He looked as if he had aged 20 years.

The persecution suffered by Xu Xiangzhi and his wife, Xu Cuihua

Forty-nine-year-old Mr. Xu started to practise Falun Gong in early 1999. Before he began practising, he had an accident in June 1997 while working at Yuehe Town Ceramics Factory. The tendons in one of his arms were injured and he was admitted to the hospital. Several days after his discharge from the hospital, his second daughter was hospitalised for pneumonia. In November of that same year, he was admitted to the hospital again for appendicitis. While operating on him, doctors discovered that his intestines were blocked and decided to operate on them as well. Thus, he and his daughter took turns going in and out of hospital. Within six months, his daughter was hospitalised five times and the family spent all their savings on medical fees. His wife had to borrow money from relatives. She also became ill from constant worry.

In December 1999, his daughter was discharged from the hospital. Soon after, his wife heard that if one practises Falun Gong and sincerely follows the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the person will become fit and healthy. Thus the couple started practising Falun Gong, and since then they and their daughter have never been hospitalised again. They led a relaxed and carefree life, something they had not experienced before.

After they started cultivation, the couple followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They were considerate of others. Once during harvest time, the weather suddenly turned stormy and the expected heavy downpour would surely ruin the harvested grain. The villagers were very anxious and quickly began moving their wheat. Some used ox carts to carry the harvest home, but it was a very slow process. Xu Xiangzhi used his own tractor and helped the villagers first. Only when everyone's harvest was safely transported home did he then tend to his own harvest. All the villagers regarded Mr. Xu as a good man and the couple was so trusted that it was said that the vegetables they sold at market were exempt from inspection.

On November 24th, 2010, Wang Xiuli, head of the Women's Association in Dafenggu Village, knocked on Mr. Xu's door and lied, claiming that she had come to check their household registration. Ms. Xu refused to open the door. A moment later, Li Jinqiao, head of the Yuehe Town Police Station; officers Liu Baoyun and Cai Yonggang; and seven to eight others broke into their home and confiscated their Falun Gong books, computer, printer, and other personal belongings. They also arrested the couple.

The couple were taken to Yuehe Police Station, where Ms. Xu was ordered to put her thumb imprint on documents. She refused to comply. Around 9 p.m. that night, both of them were taken to Tangshan Detention Centre.

Because they refused to give up their spiritual belief, 15 days later, on the afternoon of December 9th, Mr. Xu was transferred to Hehuakang Forced Labour Camp. His wife was transferred to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp. However, the forced labour camp authorities refused to take her because she failed the physical examination and so she was sent back home.

On May 25th, 2011, Ms. Xu Cuihua went to Yuehe Town Police Station to demand the release of her husband. Chief Zhao Ming and officer Cai Yongkang said, “You seem to have regained your health. Why don't you go for a checkup now and, if you are fit, you will be sent back to the forced labour camp.” With that, several police officers carried her into the police car and took her to several hospitals for check ups, but the doctors all said that she was not physically fit. In the end, she was taken to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp anyway.

Zhao Yunlong and his son were arrested and persecuted

On the morning of May 17th, 2011, Mr. Zhao Yunlong from Dafenggu Village in Yuehe Town was working in his backyard. Four police officers from Yuehe Town Police Station suddenly dashed into his house and started to ransack his belongings. Only his daughter-in-law and grandchild, who is a few months old, were at home.

The police phoned Kaiping Police Department and mobilised several officers to seize Mr. Zhao. His son tried to stop the police from taking his father away, but he was also taken to Yuehe Township Police Station with his father. Both of them were detained in Tangshan Detention Centre. The police also confiscated Falun Gong books and other valuables from their home.

Afterwards, their family repeatedly went to the detention centre and police station to demand their release. On June 1st, Mr. Zhao's wife and daughter-in-law went to the detention centre to bring them home. However the detention centre claimed that they could only release the detainees to officers from the Yuehe Township Police Station. Around 10 o'clock, officers from police station took Mr. Zhao straight to Kaiping Forced Labour Camp, where he was sentenced to one year of forced labour.

Contact information for those involved in the persecution:

Zhao Chunsheng, head of Kaiping Domestic Security Division
Yuehe Police Station: 86-315-2870593
Zhao Ming, current head of the station: 86-18832980801
Li Jinqiao, former head of the station: 86-13832986860
Cai Yongkang: 86-13832986985


Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2011/6/9/242180.html


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