(Clearwisom.net)

[Note: The "610 Office" is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.]

Zhang Guifen, the deputy mayor of Zhaoyuan City, organized the "610 Office" to arrest Falun Gong practitioners around the city, mainly targeting practitioners who went to Beijing to appeal, published solemn declarations on Clearwisdom.net, or wrote to international human rights organizations to expose the persecution. Their main purpose was to extort money from the Falun Gong practitioners.

As more and more people have discovered the truth of the persecution, most of the organizations did not cooperate with the "610 Office." Some complied on the surface but later secretly informed practitioners. Since her scheme could not be carried out, Zhang Guifen led a group of thugs and people from the "610 Office" to kidnap Falun Gong practitioners. They targeted those practitioners who had recently arrived home from their illegal incarceration at forced labor camps and those they considered "firm" in their cultivation. They assigned specific people to particular practitioners. Practitioners who printed and spread Falun Gong truth clarifying materials were arrested, brutally tortured and interrogated, and sent to brainwashing classes. They extorted practitioners' families for money ranging from 4,000 or 5,000 Yuan to tens of thousands of Yuan (the average monthly income of the worker is 500 Yuan in China). Other Falun Gong practitioners were sent to brainwashing classes also. They were detained for a couple of months and released after handing in their money. Last year 1,800 Yuan was extorted from each practitioner. This year the figure is 2,500 Yuan. Recently it was increased to 4,000 -- 4,500 Yuan. Without money the practitioners would not be released. These so-called public servants have said publicly that the purpose of arresting Falun Gong practitioners was for obtaining money.

Currently there are more than 100 practitioners in Zhaoyuan City that have been illegally sentenced and sent to forced labor camps. We hope that practitioners will send forth righteous thoughts together to eliminate the evil elements in other dimensions that are behind the persecution.