(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Lu Guiqin is a resident of Haishiwan in Honggu District, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. She and her son, Guan Longshan, were both illegally arrested in July 2007 and locked up in the notorious "Legal System School" located inside the Pangjiawan Forced Labor Camp in Lanzhou City. They were severely tortured. Ms. Lu was sentenced to four years. She was tortured until she became blind and was mentally disoriented.

Some local people who knew their situation wrote an open letter asking for help. Following is their letter:

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Our neighbor, Lu Guiqin, is 69 years old. She is retired from the Lanzhou Carbon Plant. Because she practices Falun Gong, she was arrested on July 20, 2007, by officers Chen Zuopeng, Wu Cuncai, and Zhang Hongli from Hanshiwan Police Station in the Honggu District. She was transported to the notorious "Legal System School" (a brainwashing center for Falun Gong practitioners). After that, on December 12, 2007, she was sentenced to four years and is currently detained in the Women's Prison of Jiuzhou Developing Area of Lanzhou City in Gansu Province. Within a year, she became blind and she also lost her mental faculties.

Before her arrest, she was very healthy. She smiled at everybody she met and we all admired her good health. She always told us that it was because she practiced Falun Gong that she became healthy.

We all know that Ms. Lu had many different illnesses before she practiced Falun Gong. Her calves were all black because of severe arthritis, and she could not stand for more than ten minutes. She had to lie down almost all the time. If she did any chores, she would feel very uncomfortable, and her legs were extremely painful. She always took it out on her family members when she was not feeling well. When she did that, her entire family suffered. She hated her illnesses and spent a large amount of money to treat them. She also tried different kinds of practices, but none helped.

After she began practicing Falun Gong, she followed Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and always looked inside herself when conflicts occurred. In a few years, all her illnesses were cured and her body felt very light. She would not get tired anymore when she did chores. She became more broadminded and didn't lose her temper anymore. She was always happy, and her family life was harmonious. Her children were not afraid to come home and talk with her. Everybody was happy.

In the midst of her happiness, on July 20, 1999, Jiang Zemin's regime used his power to ban Falun Gong because so many people were practicing it. She could not understand why Jiang's regime decided to do that: what government on earth would be afraid of having too many good citizens? It was absolutely impossible for her to stop practicing Falun Gong and return to her old self. The local police banned her from practicing, claiming it was due to orders from their superiors. She felt she had to go to Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong. She was detained twice for 15 days each time by the Honggu District Police Department. They accused her of "severely disrupting the social order." After that, she was detained for over a month in the Minhe County Police Department in Qinghai Province. This time they did not give her any reason. During this detainment, she was mentally devastated.

Afterwards, the authorities at the 610 Office of Lanzhou City Carbon Plant (currently called Lanzhou Carbon Corporation and now bankrupt), Zhou Xiangjiu (retired), and the Haishiwuan Police Station collaborated to put Ms. Lu in the Pangjiawan Brainwashing Center where she was further tortured mentally.

Meanwhile, Ms. Lu's son, Guan Longshan, was arrested on July 20, 2007, by the Honggu District Police Department Domestic Security Division and the District Law and Politics Bureau 610 Office, and has been held in Pangjiawan Brainwashing Center until today.

Guan Longshan was formerly employed by Lanzhou Carbon Plant. He is 37 years old. Before practicing Falun Gong, he smoked, drank, and often took advantage of others. Once he began to practice Falun Gong, he followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He wanted to become a good person, someone who could contribute to society. Since practicing Falun Gong he stopped doing bad things. He thinks of others before himself. In addition, he also became healthy, and full of energy. He is optimistic, capable, and ready to help others. Those who know him say that he has changed, and they are all willing to befriend him. However, such a good person is now detained in Pangjiawan Brainwashing Center and is being pressured to denounce Truthfulness- Compassion-Forbearance.

Guan Longshan's sister, Guan Longmei, has also been detained numerous times, sentenced to forced labor twice, and detained in brainwashing centers many times for practicing Falun Gong.

A formerly happy and harmonious family has been torn apart. Is it because they did something wrong? No, they simply practiced their rights that are guaranteed by the law.

Many other practitioners in the Honggu District are also being persecuted. They are: Mr. Chen Deguang, Ms. Sheng Chunmei and her entire family, Mr. Xu Weiyue, Ms. Liu Ruhua and her family, Ms. Qu Shufan, Mr. Yu Jihong, Mr. Yu Jihai and his family, Mr. Liu Houjun, Ms. Lu Shuxiang, Ms. Cao Daibi, Ms. Zou Caihui, Mr. Yang Yisong (deceased), Ms. Xiao Shulan (deceased), and Ms. Su Jinxiu. Ms. Su Jinxiu is in her 40's and is a resident of Pingan Township in Honggu District. Because she practices Falun Gong, she was arrested at her home and is still detained in Pangjiawan Brainwashing Center. She has been subjected to inhuman torture.

Falun Gong practitioners simply are exercising their basic human rights. The Communist regime spends citizen's taxes on whatever they want. They violate the law with the excuse of keeping the country "stable." Please recognize the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party. Do not become its accomplice and then be buried with it when it falls.

Some of the people involved in the persecution:

Zhang Chengyu, Deputy Head of Law and Politics Committee of Honggu District and also 610 Office head: 86-931-6211680 (Office), 86-931-6221899 (Office)
Heads of the Honggu District Domestic Security Division Zhang Yuliang (retired) and Huang Zongjun: 86-931-6214200, Ext. 4301 (Police Department Head Office), 4308 (Political Head), 4305 (Deputy Head), 4310 (Deputy Head)
Shi Yingbo, Presiding Judge of the Honggu District People's Court; Deputy Judge Zhang Xuelin, juror Guan Feng: 86-931-6211656 (Office)
Gansu Province Women's Prison: P.O. Box 68, Jiuzhou Developing Area, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, 780046

Prison Affairs Office: 86-931-8333526