Investigative Report on the Persecution of Falun Gong by Liu Jianguo

Secretary of the CCP Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City

December 29, 2020

Full Name of Perpetrator: Liu (last name) Jianguo (first name) (刘建国）

Gender: Male

Country: China

Year of Birth: 1958

Place of Birth: Fengnan District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province

Title or Position:

September 2011 – June 2013: Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City[1]

June 2013 – January 2017: Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City and Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions of Tangshan City[2],[3]

January 2017 – Present: Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions of Tangshan City

Liu Jianguo Committed Particularly Severe Violations of Religious Freedom against Falun Gong

Liu Jianguo was appointed Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City in September 2011. Liu was responsible for or directly carried out systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Through his position, he actively implemented Jiang Zemin’s persecution policy against Falun Gong. During his tenure, he planned and organized a large number of arrests and persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in Tangshan. These include the kidnappings of Falun gong practitioners on February 25, 2012 and March 31, 2016[4] as well as the harassment, kidnapping, and sentencing of Falun Gong practitioners who filed criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin from 2015 to 2016.[5]

The February 25, 2012 Kidnappings

On February 25, 2012, under orders from the Tangshan Political and Legal Affairs Committee, 38 Falun Gong practitioners were kidnapped from over 20 separate locations.[6] Three of them were sentenced to forced labor and 19 were sentenced to imprisonment. The cases of Zheng Xiangxing, a Falun Gong practitioner in Tanghai County, and Bian Lichao, a teacher from No. Ten Middle School in Kailuan, have been widely reported by the international communities.

Persecution of Mr. Zheng Xiangxing and His Family

Zheng Xiangxing, 40 years old, is a Falun Gong practitioner from No. Ten Farm in Tanghai County, Tangshan City. On February 25, 2012, the police from Tanghai County Public Security Bureau arrested him. While in the custody of local authorities, he was tortured until the verge of death. Local residents signed and left their thumbprints on petitions calling for Mr. Zheng's release. The Tanghai County Political and Legal Committee and the “610 Office” threatened and intimidated the residents who participated in the petition, and the residents were not allowed to bail out Zheng.

On or around July 26, 2012, Zheng was sentenced to 10 years in prison and taken to Baoding Prison. On October 26, 2012, Mr. Zheng suffered a cerebral hemorrhage as a result of the torture he experienced. Fifteen hours later, without consent from his family, the Baoding Prison authorities sent him to the hospital for surgery during which two sections of his skull were removed; he became permanently disabled. On February 21, 2013, prison officials ignored Zheng's critical condition and returned him to prison for detention. Zheng’s family protested outside Baoding Prison for a long time, asking for Zheng’s release so he could seek medical treatment. However, even though Zheng met the conditions for medical treatment outside the hospital, Baoding Prison refused. Baoding prison guards even went so far as to beat the members of Zheng’s family.

Zheng’s wife was repeatedly arrested for speaking to the international communities about Zheng. The authorities also arrested Falun Gong practitioners Zheng Lanrong and Wu Qingshi for collecting signatures from local residents to bail out Zheng.

Zheng is still being held in prison and subjected to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. His family is constantly being harassed by the police.[7], [8]

Persecution of Mr. Bian Lichao and His Family

Bian Lichao, 48, was a teacher in Tangshan City. On Feb 25, 2012, Tangshan police arrested him and confiscated over 100,000 Chinese yuan. He was locked up in the Tangshan Second Detention Center and subjected to torture and interrogation. On July 26, 2012, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On January 6, 2013, he was taken to Shijiazhuang Prison where he was tortured for his practice of Falun Gong. As a result, he developed high blood pressure, severe heart disease, and his vision was drastically reduced. His weight went from 176 lbs. to 110 lbs. Bian was on the verge of death.

Authorities arrested Bian Lichao’s wife Zhou Xiuzhen and daughter Bian Xiaohui because they protested the cruel treatment of Bian Lichao. Zhou Xiuzhen was sentenced to five years in prison and daughter Bian Xiaohui was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. Zhou’s cousin was also sentenced to four years in prison. All three were tortured during imprisonment.[9], [10], [11], [12], [13]

Zhou Xiuzhen developed liver ascites. The prison reportedly intended to release her to avoid responsibility given the severity of her condition. However, staff from the Tangshan “610 Office” refused to release her because she did not sign any documents denouncing Falun Gong.[14]

Persecution of Mr. Li Wendong

On February 25, 2012, Tangshan police kidnapped Falun Gong practitioner Li Wendong and detained him in Tangshan Detention Center. There, he was subjected to interrogation and was beaten. He held a hunger strike to protest the inhuman treatment. As punishment, police taped his mouth, put him in solitary confinement, and tortured him. With shackles on both hands and feet, he was tied to a bed and subjected to brutal forced-feeding.[15] On August 10, 2012, the Kaiping District Court in Tangshan held a sham trial and sentenced him to five years in prison.[16] In February 2013, he was taken to Jidong Prison where the prison assigned six inmates to force him to give up Falun Gong practice. For over a month, he was deprived of sleep four nights in a row, several times. There were days where he was allowed to sleep for only two hours.

Also kidnapped on February 25, 2012 were 16 other Falun Gong practitioners who were sentenced to various prison terms, including Li Yushu (ten years), Gu Yuwen (seven years), Yang Guoguang (four years and six months), He Suying (four years), Wang xiwen (four years), Jia Yuanfeng (three years), Zhang Weizhong (two years), Ling Yun (three years), Xu Jie (seven years), Zhang Mingfeng (three years), Zhang Guizhi (four years), Deng Xiuyan (four years and six months), Zhang Guochen (five years), Gao Zhaochen (five years), Yang Zhen (five years), and Yue Changcun (three years with five years’ probation).[17],[18]

The March 31, 2016 Kidnappings

On April 29, 2016, the International World Horticultural Exposition was held in Tangshan City. In the name of maintaining social stability prior to the event, Tangshan authorities under the direction of CCP Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City and the “610 Office” dispatched more than 100 police officers from March 31, 2016 to April 2, 2016 to various districts and counties under the jurisdiction of Tangshan City to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. On March 31, 2016 alone, 21 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and their homes were ransacked. During the three-day crackdown, at least 36 Falun Gong practitioners and their families were arrested and harassed. Han Changgen, Mu Shuqing, Liu Yang, Sun Xiaoying, and Huang Baotian were detained. Liu Xia was sentenced to nine years in prison,[19] Lai Zhiqing seven years in prison and Li Xiaoqian five years in prison.[20]

Persecution targeted at Falun Gong Practitioners Who filed criminal complaints Jiang Zemin

Since May 2015, Falun Gong practitioners in Tangshan have filed lawsuits against former CCP chief Jiang Zemin with China’s Supreme Procuratorate and Supreme Court. Under the order of the CCP Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City and the “610 Office,” local police and neighborhood committees carried out a persecution campaign against Falun Gong practitioners who filed criminal complaints against Jiang. According to incomplete statistics, from July 2015 to December 31, 2016, at least 884 Falun Gong practitioners were persecuted as punishment for taking legal actions against Jiang. Among them, 821 were harassed and intimidated by “610 Office,” public security authorities, neighborhood committees, state security agents, and judicial personnel, 63 practitioners were arrested and detained, and some were sentenced to prison. One Falun Gong practitioner died of torture. The following are some examples.

Persecution of Ms. Yan Guoyan

Yan Guoyan was a Falun Gong practitioner from Zunhua, Tangshan City, Hebei Province. On January 15, 2016, Zunhua police kidnapped and detained her because she filed a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin. While in Zunhua Detention Center, she was tortured until the verge of death. She was released on February 2, 2016 and passed away on March 15, 2016 at the age of 45.[21]

Persecution of Mr. Bian Changxue

Bian Changxue, a 54-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Yutian County, Tangshan City, Hebei Province, was arrested on January 5, 2016 for filing a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin. After almost two years of detention at Yutian Detention Center, he was sentenced to 8 years in prison on December 30, 2017 and fined 20,000 yuan.[22] Sometime in the first half of 2018, Bian was taken to the No. 3 Ward of Jidong Prison under the Hebei Prison Administration. Because he would not give up Falun Gong practice, he was subject to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment for extended periods of time. His weight dropped to around 77 lbs.[23]

Persecution of Ms. Chai Junxia

Chai Junxia is a Falun Gong practitioner from Qianxi County, Tangshan City. Police from the Qianxi County Public Security Bureau abducted her on December 14, 2015 because she filed a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin. She was first detained at Tangshan No. 1 Detention Center. On October 10, 2016, she was sentenced to 4 years in prison and fined 5,000 yuan.[24]

IV. Persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners who Produce and Disseminate Falun Gong Materials

During Liu Jianguo’s tenure as Secretary of the CCP Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Tangshan City, his office directed local authorities to carry out the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners who produce and disseminate Falun Gong materials, and talk to the public about Falun Gong. The following are a few cases that occurred in 2015 and 2016.

Prison Term for Producing Falun Gong Materials

On December 15, 2015, police and State Security agents from Qian’an, Tangshan City, abducted Falun Gong practitioners Liu Xiaoyuan, Wan Yonghong, and Zhou Xiuxia, and took them to the Tangshan No. 1 Detention Center the next day. After more than three years in the detention center, they were sentenced on March 19, 2019. Wan Yonghong was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 8,000 yuan. Zhou Xiuxia and Liu Xiaoyuan were sentenced to three years and six months in prison and fined 7,000 yuan each.[25],[26]

Prison Term for Disseminating Falun Gong Materials

On the morning of January 29, 2016, Zhang Zeping, a Falun Gong practitioner from Tangshan City, was kidnapped by the police and his home was ransacked for disseminating information about Falun Gong. He was detained at the Tangshan No. 1 Detention Center and later sentenced to two and a half years in prison in Jidong Prison.26

Prison Term for Talking about Falun Gong

On April 3, 2016, Huang Baotian and Lu Fenglan (husband and wife) of Tangshan were kidnapped by the police and sent to the Kailuan Public Security Bureau for talking to the public about the persecution of Falun Gong. Their home was ransacked. On December 7, 2016, the court held a sham trial. Huang Baotian was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Lu Fenglan was sentenced to 12 months in prison.26

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Reference

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.tshql.org/detail.aspx?id=272

[2] https://web.archive.org/save/http://ts.hebnews.cn/2013-06/14/content_3301325.htm

[3]https://web.archive.org/save/https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%88%98%E5%BB%BA%E5%9B%BD/20361675?fr=aladdin

[4] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2016/4/29/河北唐山三十多名法轮功学员被绑架-327316.htm

[5] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2017/2/22/-2016年唐山地区122名法轮功学员遭绑架-343404.html

[6] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2013/3/18/-271082.html; http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2013/5/6/139249.html

[7] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2013/6/11/保定监狱恶警对郑祥星妻子施暴（图）-275206.html;

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2013/6/24/140644.html

[8] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2015/2/7/-304130.html

[9] http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2015/6/12/-310763.html; http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2017/4/1/162696.html;