Woman Detained for Faith, Family Seeking Justice
Ms. Liu Jinping (undated photo)
Ms. Liu Jinping was arrested at her home on May 14, 2021 while studying Falun Gong’s teachings with other practitioners. The 40-year-old was then beaten and interrogated by the police, before being taken to the Jiamusi City Detention Center.
Liu’s family repeatedly asked the Jiaoqu Police Station to visit her, but never received any response. After the police refused to accept another visitation request on July 13, they filed an application with the police chief.
When they followed up ten days later, Wu Bin, the director of Domestic Security Office affiliated with the police station, told them that visitation was handled by the detention center, not the police, even though the People’s Republic of China Detention Center Regulations issued by the State Council states that “During the period of detention, with the consent of the organ handling the case, and with the approval of the public security organs, the suspects are allowed to have correspondence and meet with their immediate family members.”
Since the police never responded to the visitation request by Liu’s family, they filed a complaint with the Jiaoqu Court on August 3 and August 13. On October 9, Liu’s family was notified by the court that a hearing of their complaint was scheduled for November 5 and judge Li Qijia was assigned to handle it.
Meanwhile, Liu’s lawyer went to the Xiangyang District Procuratorate to review her case on September 23 and found out that the prosecutor had returned the case to the police due to insufficient evidence.
Liu’s family and the lawyer returned to the police station several times and demanded that the police dismiss her case and release her on bail. The police refused.
Arrest and Interrogation
Liu hosted several local practitioners, including Ms. Jin Shurong, Mr. Jiang Guosheng, and Ms. Ren Yulan, at her home on May 14, 2021. They studied Falun Gong’s teachings together.
As Jiang was about to leave at around noon, 16 police officers suddenly broke in. Four officers took pictures, while the remaining officers searched. Liu’s place. None of the police showed their IDs or a search warrant. They arranged Liu’s Falun Gong books, printer, and a photo of Falun Gong’s founder on the floor, took pictures, and then confiscated the items.
The four practitioners were brought to the Changqing Police Station for interrogation. While the other three practitioners were released the same day, Liu was taken to the Jiamusi City Detention Center.
When Liu’s lawyer later visited her, she recounted how the police interrogated her at the police station. An officer named Gu Songhai savagely beat her and ordered her to admit that she distributed Falun Gong materials, that the broken printer at her home was still working, and that 70 Falun Gong booklets were found at her home. Gu also threatened to sentence her to a ten-year prison term.
As Liu refused to sign the interrogation record, the police twisted her arms and rammed her head against the wall.
Based on an original report from Minghui.org:
