The Investigative Report of Liu Chengjun's Death by Persecution
Introduction
On March 5, 2002, some Falun Gong practitioners from Changchun tapped into cable TV networks in Changchun City and Songyuan City to broadcast the videos "Falun Dafa Around the World" and "Self-Immolation or Staged Deception." This is considered the first time that Chinese Falun Gong practitioners successfully broke through the media blockade in China. Mr. Liu Chengjun was one of the key people who made it possible.
On March 24, 2002, Liu Chengjun was arrested. One police officer shot him twice in the legs while arresting him. Later, he was sent to the Central Hospital of the Prison Administration Bureau of Jilin Province. In the hospital, his arms were forcibly stretched out and handcuffed to a bed. On April 1, 2002, Mr. Liu's photo appeared on the China News Service, and showed that he was weak due to torture and unable to sit in a natural, upright position. On May 1, 2002, Mr. Liu was transferred to the Changchun First Detention Center (Also called the Tiebei Detention Center), where he was tortured. He was tied to a special stool called the "Tiger Stool" for fifty-two days. On September 20, Mr. Liu was sentenced to 19 years in prison by the Changchun People's Intermediate Court and transferred to Jilin Prison soon after.
Between October 21 and 27, 2003, Mr. Liu was sent to Jilin City Central Hospital, which issued a "Critical Condition Notice." On October 27, 2003, he was transferred to the Central Hospital of the Prison Administration Bureau of Jilin Province, which also issued a "Critical Condition Notice." On November 4, 2003, the Jilin Prison claimed that they had filed medical parole forms for Mr. Liu to have temporary medical treatment outside the prison. However, the Debiao Police Station of Nongan County, which had jurisdiction over Mr. Liu as a registered resident, as well as the 610 Office of Nongan County refused to grant him this right.
At 4:00 AM on Dec. 26, 2003, Mr. Liu Chengjun passed away in the Jilin University Sino-Japanese Hospital.
The World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) conducted an investigation of Mr. Liu’s case. It was originally thought that the following individuals and organizations were responsible for Mr. Liu’s persecution (sorted according to the temporal order of the development of the case).
Jiang Zemin: Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Military Committee, former Secretary-General of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, former President of China
Luo Gan: member of Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo, Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee's Political and Judiciary Committee
Liu Jing: Deputy Minister, Ministry of Public Security, Vice Director of the Central 610 Offic
Wang Yunkun: Secretary of the Provincial Committee of Chinese Communist Party of Jilin Province
Chang Xiaoping: First Deputy Secretary of the City Committee of the Chinese Communist Party of Changchun City, in charge of the 610 Office
Tian Zhonglin: Director of the Bureau of Public Security, Changchun City
Li Shichang: Deputy Chief of domestic security team (originally the 1st Division), Bureau of Public Security, Changchun City
Wei Hongjun: Deputy Division Chief, Criminal Police Division, Bureau of Public Security, Songyuan City
Zhang Hui: Presiding Judge, First Criminal Court, People's Intermediate Court, Changchun City
Liu Rongsheng: Procurator, Changchun City
Li Qiang: Warden, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Wang Yufan: Warden’s Assistant, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Liu Changjiang: Commissar, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Liu Wei: Head of the Prison Political Section, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Tan Fuhua: Head of the Education Section, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Li Yongsheng: Officer of the Education Section, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Zhao Jing: Chief of the Number One Division, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Wang Jiankong: Chief of the Transformation Section of Number One Division, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Cheng Xin: Education Officer of the Number One Division, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Lin XX: Chief of the Number Five division, Jilin Prision, Jilin Province
Wei Xianghui: Head of the Number Six Prison Section
Zhu Guozhi: Director of the Prison Administration Bureau, Jilin Province
Wang Haiqing: President of the Central Hospital of Prison Administration Bureau of Jilin
Province Major units:
Bureau of Public Security, Jilin Province
Domestic Public Security Division (originally the First Division), Bureau of Public Security, Changchun City
Bureau of Public Security, Songyuan City
Number One Detention Center of Changchun City
Jinlin Prison and Jilin Prison Administration Bureau, Jilin Province
Facts of Mr. Liu Chengjun's arrest and torture during his detention
On March 5, 2002, there was a large-scale Cable TV tapping of Falun Gong video programs in Changchun and Songyuan cities in Jilin Province during a session of the National People's Congress in Beijing. Jiang Zemin was very upset and criticized Jilin Province Party Secretary Wang Yunkun, demanding a deadline for the police investigation to be finished. This resulted in the case to be overseen by the Ministry of Public Security 1. The Ministry of Public Security, Jilin Province and Changchun City each formed a special team to be in charge of the case, which was conducted by the Bureau of Public Security of Changchun City 2.
On March 23, 2002, the police found Liu Chengjun in his aunt's home. At the time, he was hiding in his aunt's piles of firewood. The police surrounded the firewood piles, set fire to them and dragged him out of the fire. He was injured on many parts of his body including his face, hips, and hands and feet, particularly on the backside of his hands. One police officer shot Liu twice in the legs 3. The criminal police division from Changchun and Songyuan cities were responsible for the raid 4.
On March 24, 2002, Liu Chengjun was sent to the Central Hospital of the Prison Administration Bureau of Jilin Province (also called the Public Security Hospital or Laogai Hospital). Both of his hands were stretched out and handcuffed on the side of a bed. One day in April, in order to allow him to be interviewed by China Central Television’s (CCTV) “Focus Interview” program, Mr. Liu's handcuffs were opened. Because Mr. Liu refused to do the interview, the Prison Political Section head said that Liu didn't follow orders and put shackles on his feet 5.
On April 1, 2002, Mr. Liu's photo appeared on the China News Service, which showed that he was too weak to even sit in a natural upright position, due to torture 6.
On May 1, 2002, Mr. Liu was transferred to the Changchun Number One Detention Center (Tiebei Detention Center), where he was tortured. He was tied to a special stool called the "Tiger Stool" (a torture method) for fifty-two days 5.
News sources revealed that some 5,000 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested a few days after March 5, 2002 7. Changchun's entire police force—more than 6,000 police officers—participated in the operation 1. It has been confirmed that at least the following Changchun Falun Gong practitioners died in this large-scale raid: Liu Haibo, Hou Mingkai, Li Rong, Liu Yi, Shen Jianli, Li Shuqin and another practitioner whose name is unknown. Among them, it has been verified that at least Liu Haibo, Li Yi and the unknown practitioner were tortured to death within a very short time of their arrest by criminal police officers from the Kuancheng Police Department, Luyuan Police Department, and Jingcheng Police Department of the Changchun City Public Security Bureau 8.
Those responsible for harassment, arrest, torture and killing during the management of the Changchun Cable TV Tapping Case:
Jiang Zemin: Ordered the Jilin Province Party Secretary Wang Yunkun to solve this case within a limited timeframe 1, 2. This order is illegal and interferes with the justice system. The placement of a deadline has resulted in police officers using torture methods to obtain information. (Please refer to the Liu Haibo case).
Luo Gan: There is evidence that after the Changchun Cable TV interception took place, Luo Gan personally traveled to Changchun and other cities in Northeast China. After his visit, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in Changchun and Northeast China were arrested and sent to labor camps in Changchun City and escalated the torture of practitioners 7, 9.
Liu Jing: After March 5, he went to Changchun several times to coordinate the torture 7; at the beginning of February, at the Changchun Nanhu Hotel, he organized the persecution of Falun Gong and gave the order that police can open fire on Falun Gong practitioners 10, 11. From then on, in different areas in China, there were several cases of police firing at Falun Gong practitioners 12. Police fired at Liu Chengjun when arresting him as a result of this order.
Wang Yunkun: While in Beijing attending two meetings, he travelled back to Changchun, per Jiang’s order, to handle the situation1.
Chang Xiaoping: The Public Affair Office from the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Changchun Committee revealed that the 610 Office is directly handling the Changchun Cable TV interception case 10. Chang Xiaoping is the First Vice Secretary of the CCP Committee in Changchun City and is in charge of the 610 Office there 13. On the morning of March 12, Changchun Falun Gong practitioner Liu Haibo, was tortured to death by the Kuancheng Police Department during interrogation because he was suspected of providing residence for Liu and other practitioners. Chang Xiaoping went to the Kuanchen Police Department that night and made the following points on this incident: 1 Tackling Falun Gong is a formidable political task and no need to fear of blood and death; 2 Avoid leaking out information and generating international impact;3 Different levels of the Discipline Investigation committee and monitoring departments should not intervene with the case of Falun Gong practitioners' death and injury. Everything should serve the overall situation14. This is an order to kill without mercy. Given the centralized authority system of the CCP, the order has to come from the top level. The people who issued, delivered and implemented this order must be held accountable and brought to justice.
Tian Zhonglin: The whole investigation was conducted by the Changchun Public Security Bureau and the Police Departments of the districts. On March 6 at 7 PM, the Police Departments in all districts in Changchun City held a middle level officials meeting. The director general passed on the orders from the City Public Security Bureau. He analyzed the seriousness and urgency of the fight against Falun Gong. At the same time, he emphasized that Falun Gong practitioners must be treated with severity and should not be treated by the book. He asked the entire city's 6,000 police officers to take action 14. This order opened the door to all kinds of torture and other illegal actions.
The people responsible for torturing Liu Chengjun and other Falun Gong practitioners after their arrest
Li Shichang and the Domestic Security Team (originally the First Division), Bureau of Public Security, Changchun City: Li Shichang is in charge of the “305 case” (the name that police insiders called the Changchun Cable TV interception case) in the Changchun area. Li was the Deputy Chief of the Domestic Security Team of the Changchun Public Security Bureau (now he is the chief of the Domestic Security Team). He participated in and coordinated the entire operation 15. Due to his "achievements" in the persecution, in April 2003, Li Shichang's Domestic Security Team was given the first level award (the highest award in the military and the police force) from the Jilin Public Security system. The award was signed by Zhou Yongkang, the Minister of Public Security Ministry. The team was awarded 10,000 RMB; Li Shichang himself was named an outstanding person, and received the second level award, as well as 1,000 RMB 16. Those within the Changchun Public Security Bureau Domestic Security Team involved in the persecution of Falun Gong, including Wang Guangshan (the head of the fourth team), Wang Pei (deputy chief), and Zhang Zhengzhen, member of the criminal police team (temporarily placed on the domestic security team) 17.
At that time, that division established a torture room near Jingyuetan. Many Falun Gong practitioners involved in the TV tapping, including Zhou Runjun, were tortured there 18.
Public Security Bureau of Songyuan City. Since Songyuan City is not under the jurisdiction of Chuangchun City, the search for Liu Chengjun was carried out by the joint efforts of the Changchun and Songyuan Public Security Bureaus. Participants in the arrest include the police department of Qianguo County of Songyuan City. The divisions involved in the operation are the criminal police team and the domestic security team of the Songyuan Public Security Bureau 19. Wei Hongjun, the deputy chief of the Songyuan City criminal police team participated in the arrest. He was named an outstanding person. He was given a second level award and 1,000 RMB 16. His award certificate was signed by Zhou Yongkang, the Minister of the Public Security Ministry. Our investigator confirmed that the criminal team and domestic security team of Qianguo County Police Department joined the operation. The policeman who shot Liu Chengjun was from the criminal team of Qianguo County or Songyuan City 19.
Public Security Bureau of Jilin Province: Our investigators confirmed that during the joint operation in Songyuan City, the officials from the Public Security Bureau of Jilin Province were present 19.
Wang Haiqing, Liu Wei, and Liu Chengjun were jailed at the Central Hospital of Jilin Province Prison Administration Bureau at least twice. The first time was on March 24, 2003. After Liu was arrested, he was directly taken to the hospital. He was transferred to the Number One Detention Center of Changchun City (Tiebei Detention Center) on May 1. During the time he was at the hospital, his hands were cuffed to the bedposts. Liu Wei, the section chief of the jail's politics section (note 1), personally placed ankle chains on him 5. On April 1, according to the photo provided by the Xinhua News Service, it was obvious that Liu Chengjun was not able to sit upright independently, and there were markings on his body from multiple beatings. The second time was on October 27, 2003, when Liu was transferred from Jilin City Central Hospital when he was on the brink of death 20. Furthermore, this hospital has been persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, including those who were involved in the Changchun Cable TV tapping case, for a long period of time 21. After realizing the identity of the investigator, a hospital employee immediately changed his tone and claimed that it was just a car repair shop.
The Number One Detention Center of Changchun City (Tiebei Detention Center): From May 1 to September 20, 2002, Liu Chengjun was detained there. The investigator confirmed that the torture of Liu and others were carried out by the police from the Changchun City Public Security Bureau 22.
Those who are related with this case:
1. Liu Haibo was tortured to death on March 12, 2002, by the criminal team of the Kuancheng Police Department during interrogation simply because he was suspected of providing residence for practitioners involved in the TV tapping. Zhou Chunming, the chief of Kuancheng Police Department, should bear most of the responsibility. Ai Limin, the head of the second criminal police team, was the commander at the beating site 14.
2. Liu Yi was beaten to death on March 18, 2002, in the office of the criminal police team, Luyuan Police Department 23.
3. An unknown practitioner was beaten to death on March 16, 2002, by officers from the Jincheng Police Department, Changchun city. Zhang Shaoyu, the police chief, should bear most of the responsibility 23.
Those responsible for the courtroom trial of Liu Chengjun and other Falun Gong practitioners involved in the TV interception
The People's Procuratorate office of Changchun City filed a formal lawsuit with the Changchun intermediate court on September 6, 2002. The intermediate court opened a court session on September 18. On September 20, 2002, they sentenced 15 Falun Gong practitioners including Zhou Runjun and Liu Chengjun, to jail terms ranging from 4 to 20 years 24. During the court hearing, the judge and others in the court allowed policemen to beat up Falun Gong practitioners at will while being tried, both inside and outside the courtroom 25.
Those who were responsible for torturing the practitioners during the trial:
Zhang Hui: The presiding judge of the first criminal court of the Changchun People's Intermediate Court, chief adjudicator of the Changchun Cable TV tapping case26. According to information provided by eyewitnesses, the court session held on September 18 was an open session in name, but in fact, Falun Gong practitioners were not allowed to defend themselves in court. Whenever a Falun Gong practitioner said: "Falun Dafa is good," or, "Falun Dafa is innocent," or said that the government is defaming Falun Gong, or gave examples of illegal extortion of confession by torture, policemen would bring the Falun Gong practitioners out of the courtroom into a separate room and would beat them severely. On the last day, Falun Gong practitioners were prohibited from speaking in court. As a judge, Zhang Hui ignored the rights of Falun Gong practitioners to defend themselves and allowed policemen from the Changchun Public Security Bureau to openly drag practitioners out of the courtroom to be tortured 25.
Liu Rongsheng: Procurator of the Changchun People's Procuratorate office, public prosecutor of the Changchun Cable TV tapping case 26.
All the policemen from the Changchun Public Security Bureau who beat Falun Gong practitioners in the court session. Chen Yanmei, Liang Zhenxing and Liu Chengjun were the most severely tortured. Afterwards, others carried them back to the detention center 25.
Those responsible in the prison for the persecution of Liu Chengjun and others sentenced for tapping cable TV
After the court session, Liu Chengjun and others illegally sentenced to jail were sent to Jilin Prison. Many sources revealed that Falun Gong practitioners were tortured in Jilin Prison 27. The sources emphasized the brutal torture of the practitioners sentenced to jail for tapping Changchun’s Cable TV network. Liu Chengjun was once imprisoned in the Number One and Five Divisions. Liang Zhenxing was imprisoned in division Number Six’s custody.
One of the common torture methods used in Jilin Prison is the "death penalty bed." The joints of the victim are stretched out, causing intense suffering (see appendix 3). Li Qiang (the warden of Jilin Prison), Wang Yufan (the warden assistant of Jilin Prison), and Liu Changjiang (the Commissar of Jilin Prison) should be held responsible for such open and common use of torture. Liu Wei, the head of the political section of Jilin Prison, Tan Fuhua, the head of the education section, and Li Yongsheng, an officer of the education section are involved in encouraging or directly using violent actions on Falun Gong practitioners 27.
According to the testimony of other Falun Gong practitioners and Liu Chengjun's family, Liu Chengjun was tortured every day 20. Liu Chengjun was once detained in the Number One and Number Five Divisions. Zhao Jing (chief of the Number One Division in Jinlin Prison), Wang Jiankong (chief of the Number One Division’s Number One Transformation Section), Chen Xin (education officer of Number One Division), and Lin XX (chief of the Number Five Division) should take full responsibility for the torture and death of Liu Chengjun 20, 28. Lin XX should also take responsibility for deceiving Liu's family before and after his death 20.
Those responsible for continuing to persecute Liu Chengjun despite appeals from the international society
According to reports, Jilin Prison conducted procedures to release Liu on parole for medical treatment on November 4, 2003. However, they still needed approval from the Nongan County Debiao police station, with which Liu was a registered resident. The police station was reportedly unwilling to bear any responsibility and refused to give its approval. Subsequently, it sent the parole documents to the Nongan County police department on November 15, 2003. Finally, the 610 Office in Nongan County made a decision not to accept the request 29.
Zhu Guozhi: director of the Jilin Prison Administration Bureau (currently chief of Jilin province Justice Bureau). He should bear most of the responsibility for the failure to release Liu Chengjun on parole for medical treatment.
According to related stipulations in chapter 3, section 3 of prison law of the People's Republic of China, parole is approved by obtaining a guarantor and executing a sentence outside prison.
Article 26: With a temporary execution of a sentence outside prison, the prison submits a request in writing, then reports to the prison administration management office of the province, autonomous region and the municipality directly under the central government for approval. The approving organization should inform the public security department and the original people's court that passed the sentence of the approval and send a duplicate to the People's Procuratorate office.
Article 27: The criminal who is temporarily executing a sentence outside prison is under the custody of the police organization in the place where he lives.
Only the Nongan County and Debiao police stations, which have jurisdiction over Liu, can only carry out instructions to execute a sentence outside of prison. They have no right to either participate in or make the final decision. If Jilin Prison had already conducted procedures for parole, then it only needed approval from the province's Prison Administration Bureau. This case is known about nationwide, and is being directly supervised by the Public Security Ministry. Such a decision made by an organization below the county level is not only in contradiction to the Communist Party's tradition, but also against the special case of the persecution of Falun Gong being directly under the control of the 610 Office, from the Central Committee to the lowest levels of government. According to information provided by Jilin Prison , the report for the release on parole was sent to the province as early as October 23, 2003 20. Thus it is confirmed that Jilin Prison, Jilin Province Prison Administration Bureau and its superior organization, Jilin Province Justice Bureau, are the main organizations responsible in this case. The Nongan County Debiao police station has already verified to WOIPFG investigators from our organization that they had never received any requests regarding the release of Liu Chengjun on parole for medical treatment and confirmed that their approval is not required as part of the procedure30.
Notes:
1. There is no prison politics section within the central hospital of the Jilin Prison Administration Bureau. Thus the section head of the prison politics section should be Liu Wei, the section head of the prison politics section from Jilin Prison. But when an investigator asked whether he had manacled Liu Chengjun in the central hospital of the Jilin Prison Administration Bureau, he immediately hung up the phone.
2. Reference materials come from testimonies of witnesses, investigation results, and media reports from a variety of sources. They will be reported to the International Court, human rights groups and immigration bureaus of different countries.
Appendix:
1. Some information about the Cable TV tapping incident:
Practitioners were divided into three groups and tapped the network at the same time. Group 1 was formed by Zhang Wen, Lei Ming, and five other practitioners to take action in Nanguan District. Later, Lei Ming was arrested on the scene. Group 2 was formed by Zhou Runjun, Liu Weiming, and 3 other practitioners to tap the TV signal close to the National Tax Bureau, Jilin provincial office. Group 3 was formed by Liu Chengjun, Li Dehai, and two other practitioners in Qianguo County of Songyuan City. The people participating in the arrest of Lei Ming include Liu Wenxiang (the Vice President of the Changchun Cable TV Network Company), Tong Jun (director of the Chaoyang Station of Changchun Cable TV Network Company), and the Qingming Street police station of the Nanguan Police Department. (The lieutenant of the station is Yang Xiaoxiang).
2. Names and prison terms of the 15 practitioners sentenced by the Changchun Intermediate Court on September 20, 2002: Zhou Runjun and Liu Weiming, 20 years; Liang Zhenxing and Liu Chengjun, 19 years; Zhang Wen, 18 years; Lei Ming, Sun Changjun, Li Dehai, 17 years; Zhao Jian, 15 years; Yun Qinbin and Liu Dong, 14 years; Wei Xiushan, 12 years; Zhuang Xiankun, and Chen Yanmei, 11 years; Li Xiaojie, 4 years.
3. Persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Jilin Prison
[Minghui Net, November 19, 2003] Secret Order in Jilin Prison: Count Deaths From Force-Feeding as "Suicide" or "Death From Natural Causes": The authorities of Jilin Prison have issued a secret order to isolate the Falun Gong practitioners who have gone on hunger strikes in small cells for close surveillance and force-feeding; tube-feeding should use force and the deaths that occur due to force-feeding will be counted as suicides or death from natural causes. The prison authorities also forbade all staff from allowing any Falun Gong practitioners to die in the jail dormitory. The practitioners are locked into small cells, where each death will be regarded as either a natural death or a suicide.
[Minghui Net, November 17, 2003] Starting from June 2003, the majority of the 100 plus Falun Dafa practitioners in Jilin Jail went on a hunger strike to protest the torture of dozens of practitioners who had already been on hunger strike. Practitioner Liang Zhenxing was told to write the "Four Statements" to denounce Falun Gong. When he refused to do so, he was forced to sit on a piece of wood less than one inch wide, or forced to sit on the top of a piece of angled iron. Every day, he has to sit like this for over ten hours; otherwise he will be tortured more severely with the methods of the "stretching bed," "big hang," and "fixed bed."
"Stretching bed:" Bind practitioners' four limbs and pull apart forcefully in four directions. The body will be stretched and muscles and joints will be broken. Some practitioners' finger and toenails were pulled off as a result. This is excruciatingly painful. At the same time, the practitioners will be suspended in the air and joints all over the body will be struck with a leather hammer till they are dislocated or become black.
"Fixed bed:" Fix reinforcing bars (rebar) onto a board, twist the bodies of the practitioners between these bars. The practitioners' hands or legs are pulled apart in the upper sideways or lower sideways positions. When the police pull the practitioners' bodies to the extreme, they will tie the practitioners' bodies in a twisted position. At the same time, the police put sticks, bowls, cans, bottles etc., between their bodies and the board. Finally, they completely suspend the practitioners' bodies in midair. As time passes, the practitioners experience extreme pain, since all their joints are in awkward angles. Extreme pressure is put on their joints, and ligaments are torn.
Note:
Regarding the current human rights status in China, legal requirements, and for the safety of the concerned individuals in these investigations, some details are not shown here. For those who need specific reference materials and have other special requests, please contact WOIPFG directly.
World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong
Tel：1-347-448-5790；Fax：1-347-402-1444；
Mail Address：P.O. Box 84， New york, NY 10116
Website： http://www.upholdjustice.org/, http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/
