(Minghui.org) An expectant father remains detained following his arrest nearly five months ago for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. His pregnant wife, who was seized at the same time, was kept in a metal cage for several hours before being released on bail.
Police have refused to release Mr. Zhang Lei despite his poor health, and they recently resubmitted his case, even though it had already been rejected once for lack of evidence.
Husband Threatened, Wife Caged
More than 20 police officers went to the home of Mr. Zhang Lei in the Baochi District of Tianjin on April 20. They arrested Mr. Zhang Lei, his wife Ms. Wang Xiaodan, and his father Mr. Wang Baohua. They also confiscated a portrait of Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, along with Falun Gong books and personal belongings.
The officers were from the Baochi District Police Department, Dabaizhuang Police Station (including deputy director Zhang Lishun and officers Zhao Xiaohui and Zhang Bin), Niujiapai Police Station (including deputy director Ma and officer Yang Zhong), and the criminal police force.
At Dabaizhuang Police Station, chief Ma of the Niujiapai Police Station forced open Mr. Zhang Baohua's mouth and threatened to shock him with an electric baton. Even though Ms. Wang was obviously pregnant, the police put her in a metal cage. Both Mr. Zhang Baohua and Ms. Wang returned home about 1 a.m. on April 21, while Mr. Zhang Lei was taken to the Baochi Detention Center in the afternoon on April 20.
Mr. Zhang's Students Intimidated by Police
Baochi Police Department officers went to Mr. Zhang Lei's place of work, Dabaizhuang Tutoring Center, on April 25 and ordered the 13 children to “admit” that Mr. Zhang had told them about Falun Gong. When some of the children said he hadn't told them about it, one officer said, “You have to say it, whether or not he did.” Some of the children were so frightened that they started to cry. Officers also ordered the children's parents to sign and testify against Mr. Zhang.
Police: No Need to Follow the Law in Falun Gong Cases
Zhao Xiaohui and other officers went to Mr. Zhang Lei's home again on April 28. They ordered Ms. Wang, his wife, to pay 10,000 yuan as her bail bond and claimed that her husband had agreed to the amount.
Mr. Zhang Baohua went to the Dabaizhuang Police Station on May 2 to seek his son's release. The police chief and officer Zhao said that they were not responsible for his case and told him to contact the Baochi Police Department. At the police department, an officer said his son's case had been forwarded to the procuratorate. “We have received a notice from the Domestic Security Office that we don't have to follow any law in handling Falun Gong cases,” the officer in charge said.
The procuratorate formally approved Mr. Zhang Lei's arrest on May 4. His attorney tried to inquire about the case on May 8, but a security officer stopped him at the gate of the Baochi Police Department. He submitted a request on May 9 for Mr. Zhang's release that was declined three days later. Mr. Zhang's family tried to submit the same request to the detention center on May 14, but the guards there refused to accept the request.
After being rejected once, the police recently re-submitted Mr. Zhang's case to the procuratorate. Mr. Zhang is in the Baochi Detention Center in Tianjin and is forced to do physical labor without pay.
Parties Responsible:Zhang Shouli, Party secretary of the Baochi District Political and Legal Affairs CommitteeChen Zhongjie, director of Baochi Police Department: +86-22-29242612, +86-13821399666Wang Hong, manager of Baochi Domestic Security Division
