Mr. Hou Shengjiang Not Released After Administrative Detention, Authorities Plot Illegal Trial

December 08, 2013 | By a Minghui correspondent in Helongjiang Province, China

(Minghui.org) Mr. Hou Shengjiang has been illegally detained for practicing Falun Gong. His “administrative detention” term of 15 days was due to expire on October 27, 2013. Instead of releasing Mr. Hou, authorities then changed his term to “criminal detention,” plotting to sentence him to prison on fabricated charges.

Family Devastated

Expecting his imminent return on October 27, Mr. Hou’s wife prepared clothes for him and his mother-in-law prepared a big meal to welcome him home. Mr. Hou’s daughter and father-in-law, a 76-year-old senior who was recovering from a stroke, also eagerly awaited his release.

When the family went to pick him up, however, they were told that Mr. Hou’s administrative detention had been changed to criminal detention—and that he had been transferred to another detention center. He would now be detained indefinitely, the family heard.

Devastated and heartbroken, Mr. Hou’s father-in-law had another stroke that evening and was taken to the hospital.

Illegal Arrest

Mr. Hou was born in November 1974. He graduated from Jiamusi University with a degree in computer science in 1997. Although he hadn’t been very healthy, after he started practicing Falun Gong, he became energetic, healthy and optimistic. He was diligent and hard-working, enjoying a good reputation at work.

Mr. Hou went to his daughter’s school for a parent-teacher conference on October 12, 2013. Prior to the meeting, he had posted some informational posters about Falun Gong. For that, he was arrested by officers from the Jianguo Road Police Station.

Afterward, policemen Gao Mingjie, Wang Hao, and two others went to Mr. Hou’s home and ransacked it. They confiscated two laptops, one desktop computer, a printer, and other property. Mr. Hou’s family was told to sign a document stipulating his 15-day administrative detention, as well as pay a 500 yuan fine.

Police Corruption

Mr. Hou’s administrative detention was changed to criminal detention on October 25, 2013—just 2 days prior to the end of his original term. He was transferred to another detention center the same day. Authorities plotted to try him on fabricated charges.

Mr. Hou’s family went to the Jianguo Road Police Station to demand his release many times. However, all they heard were excuses, with no resolution in sight. One time, the family pleaded with the deputy director of the police station, trying to explain the difficulties they were facing without Mr. Hou. The director maliciously laughed at them and said: “Every family has some difficulties. No one in my family practices Falun Gong, so I don’t have this trouble.”

Policeman Wang Hao asked Mr. Hou’s wife to come to the police station on October 24. He told her: “I gave you 12 days. How come you haven’t done anything?”—implying that he had expected the family to offer a bride.

Mr. Hou’s wife responded: “We don’t have money or connections. I don’t know what to do.” Wang looked upset and said: “I don’t believe you. People from the rural area all know someone. How come you couldn’t find anyone [to get the money]? You have not made any effort!”

Wang then interrogated Mr. Hou’s wife with questions such as “Who was in contact with your husband?” in an attempt to find some detrimental information on Mr. Hou.

He threatened: “Let me tell you—he is going to get one- or one-and-a-half-year sentence!”

Chinese version available

Category: Accounts of Persecution

Lawyer Prevented from Meeting Detained Practitioner Mr. Bao Wenju

December 08, 2013 | By a Minghui correspondent from Jilin Province, China

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Bao Wenju from Jilin City was arrested and taken to a brainwashing center by local police on October 18, 2013. He was later detained at a detention center, so the police likely intended to illegally sentence him. Mr. Bao’s attorney demanded to meet with him but personnel at the detention center denied his request.

The Domestic Security Division of the Jilin City Police Department as well as the local police stations carried out a large scale arrest of practitioners on October 17-18, 2013. Over 40 practitioners were arrested, including Mr. Bao Wenju who lives on Beiji Street, Chuanying District, and his niece, Ms. Ao Cuicui.

Mr. Bao and Ms. Ao were leaving their home to do business on the morning of October 18, 2013. Mr. Bao was arrested by police as soon as he stepped out the door. Ms. Ao didn’t see him and tried to call him. Three officers pushed her to the ground. Their home was ransacked twice by police, who confiscated all Falun Gong books, a computer, an mp5 player, two receivers for satellite TV broadcasts, tools for the installing a satellite receiver, and other items.

Violation of Chinese Law

The police took both practitioners to the Zhihe Police Station in the Chuanying District. Ms. Ao was transferred to the Jilin City Detention Center that night and held for ten days. Mr. Bao was taken to the Shahezi Brainwashing Center in Jilin City and later transferred to the Jilin City Detention Center. He has not been released.

Mr. Bao’s attorney went to the Jilin City Detention Center at 3:00 p.m. on November 7, 2013, to meet with his client. The staff at that location refused the request, claiming that the Domestic Security Division of the Jilin City Police Department had issued an order that no one was allowed to meet with Mr. Bao. Mr. Bao’s attorney pointed out that this order violates established Chinese law, but to no avail. He was unable to meet with his client.

Prior Arrest and Detention

This is not the first time Mr. Bao has been arrested. When he was helping the villagers at Huanghuadianzi Village, Wulan Township, Aohan Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to install satellite TV receivers on December 21, 2012, he was arrested by police from the Domestic Security Division of the Aohan Banner Police Department. He was detained for 49 days at the Aohan Banner Detention Center and released on February 8, 2013.

According to an investigation, this city-wide large-scale arrest of practitioners was ordered by Zhang Xiaopei, secretary of the CCP Party Committee of Jilin City, Bai Yan, director of the 610 Office of Jilin City, Zhang Qingshan, director of the 610 Office of Chuanying District, Zhang Peng, and a person with the last name of Niu.

A large and a small silver sedan have frequently been seen in the Beiji Community. Both have the same license plate “Ji BEX 610” and the sign of a scorpion between the headlights.

Chinese version available

Category: Accounts of Persecution

French Parliament: Medical Experts Testify to the Likelihood of Organ Harvesting Atrocities in China

December 07, 2013 | By Falun Gong practitioners in France

(Minghui.org) Organ transplantation experts in France, as in many other parts of the world, agree that forced organ harvesting does indeed exist in Mainland China. The number of transplants that takes place far outnumbers the organs available from the officially claimed source: prisoners who are executed. And in a country where cultural taboos make organ donation after death a rarity, and with organs in short supply elsewhere around the world, China seems to have a virtually unlimited supply of organs. Sources even claim that the “donors” are young and healthy.

All of these point to organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners filling the organ supply. “I think the truth is being demonstrated in the most striking way,” Professor Yves Chapuis, one of the pioneers of organ transplantation in France, commented at a recent forum in the French Parliament.

Professor Francis Navarro from France’s Montpellier University Hospital recalled his experience in China, which made him certain that at least a dozen people were killed for organ transplants within two days. He warned that French doctors may be party to organ harvesting in China unknowingly by training Chinese doctors.

MP Boyer and MP Xavier Breton called for continued efforts to prohibit trafficking in human organs and to pass a related bill in the French Parliament.

Representatives of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), French organ transplantation experts, and the France Falun Dafa Association attended the forum on November 27 at the invitation of Valerie Boyer, member of the National Assembly of France. Former Minister and MP Françoise Hostalier hosted the forum.

Unidentified Source of Large Number of Organs

Professor Jacques Belghiti, expert in liver transplantation and president of the International Liver Transplantation Society, illustrated his points with data on China’s organ transplants.

In 2006, China experienced a boom in organ transplants. More than 500 medical centers in China were involved in organ transplants, including 8,000 cases of kidney transplants (official figure) and 4,000 liver transplants.

Professor Belghiti believed that the organ trade has become a major source of revenue for many hospitals. He said that it is strange that international organ transplant doctors often encounter a shortage of organs, but that is not the case in China. That country seemingly has unlimited sources of organs, and these organ donors are young and healthy.

According to reports by Amnesty International, the number of prisoners executed in China in 2006 was 1,101, and very few people are willing to donate their organs due to cultural factors. Professor Baylor’s research data raises a question: what is the source of so many transplanted organs?

Imprisoned Falun Gong Practitioners Used as a Large Living Organ Pool

A representative from Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) said that China is the only country in the world where the waiting time for an organ is two weeks. This figure is not at all consistent with international norms, and does not match the number of the executions in China each year.

According to a number of investigative reports by David Matas and David Kilgour, and an investigation by U.S. reporter Ethan Gutman, the surplus organs are from tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners who have been imprisoned for their beliefs since 1999.

Human rights lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour co-authored a report, “Bloody Harvest: Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China.”

Michel Wu, former head of the Service in Chinese of Radio France International, said that 80 million innocent Chinese people were killed in the various political movements during the Chinese regime’s 60 years of rule. As this regime still continues, senior Chinese Communist Party officials can use any means to get rich. When organs from executed prisoners are no longer sufficient to meet the demand of the flourishing market, they target Falun Gong practitioners, because their belief (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance) is exactly opposite of the Party’s ideology.

President of the French Falun Dafa Association Mr. Alain Tong said that Chinese media have recently revealed that two Chinese military officers were promoted for having actively participated in organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. Additional proof, according to Tong, is that the murders not only remain unpunished, but have been encouraged, and that Falun Gong practitioners are indeed their main target.

A large amount of evidence show that tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners illegally detained in forced labor camps and other facilities are used to service a burgeoning organ transplant industry, said David Matas.

Transplant experts also reminded French organ transplant doctors not to make themselves accomplices in forced organ harvesting in China.

French organ transplant experts at the seminar

French MP’s Appeal: Prohibit Organ Trade

MP Valerie Boyer has been concerned over the organ trade involved in China’s organ transplantation for years. She emphasized that trafficking in human organs must be stopped. She hoped that the French Parliament can adopt a related bill.

MP Xavier Breton said that he will work together with MP Boyer to relate to the French Parliament and international community of respecting ethical values in organ transplants. He hoped that everyone will continue their efforts to stop the organ trafficking and illicit organ transplants.

Forced Organ Harvesting in China Does Exist

Professor Francis Navarro, from France’s Montpellier University Hospital, talks about his experience of training Chinese surgeons in China at the seminar

Professor Francis Navarro from France’s Montpellier University Hospital went to Chengdu City in China in 2007 to train Chinese surgeons in organ transplantation techniques. There were 200 cases of organ transplants to be done at the time.

He recalled, “I asked a staff member of our partner institution in China a few days before I went there for information about transplant donors and recipients. He did not give a direct answer, and only explained that they were only ordinary organ transplants. He also told me that everything was ready, as soon as I arrived there, and there would be organ transplants available the next day. I felt something was being avoided.

“Now in retrospect, this personal experience makes me certain that they harvested organs from executed prisoners. I understand the day before we arrived, and the day when organ transplants were to be performed, there was a batch of executions. According to data that was later obtained, at least a dozen people were executed at that time.” He added.

Those Training Chinese Doctors May Become Complicit in Forced Organ Harvesting

Professor Navarro said that organ transplantation techniques and surgery in France have a certain reputation in the international arena. China specifically requested French organ transplant doctors to go there to train Chinese doctors.

Some French doctors may well have been involved in or are participating in the development of China’s organ transplants. He hopes that as experts, French surgeons can be aware that organs cannot be trafficked, and taking organs without a person’s consent is even more unacceptable.

Professor Yves Chapuis, one of the pioneers of transplantation in France, said that for quite some time the community of transplant specialists—as well as the general population—has been skeptical about the allegations.

“Now, I think the truth is demonstrated in the most striking way,” Professor Chapuis said. “This only makes our worries bigger.”

Professor Belghiti said that he will continue calling upon the international community to work against the organ trade, and ask them to refuse to go for organ transplants in countries where organ trade exists, to reduce or eliminate illegal organ harvesting.

Chinese version available

Category: Organ Harvesting