(Minghui.org) The case against a Falun Gong practitioner in Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province was returned to the local police due to insufficient evidence, but a deputy chief denied having received the returned case and directed Ms. Che Jinxia's family to the procuratorate.

Ms. Che, who also goes by the name Che Hongyu, was arrested on July 25, 2019 while visiting Ms. Feng Guifen’s home to study Falun Gong’s teachings together.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation tradition that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

While Ms. Feng was released later that evening due to her physical condition, Ms. Che remains in custody at Changqing Police Station.

Nine officers tortured Ms. Che overnight, in retaliation for her shouting out “Falun Dafa is good!” during her arrest. The police had been lying in wait outside Ms. Feng's home to try to arrest as many practitioners as possible. They said Ms. Che's shouting alerted other practitioners who might have also planned to join her, enabling them to escape arrest.

It was reported that the police pulled off much of Ms. Che’s hair and her body was covered with bruises. More details about the torture remain to be investigated.

Ms. Che was later put on criminal detention at Jiamusi City Detention Center and has been held there since.

On the second day of Ms. Che’s arrest, the police called her husband and demanded to take a look at their home. He said no but returned home from work that night to find that the police had already ransacked their place. He soon learned that the police had also raided the home of 86-year-old Mr. Che Weiqi, his father-in-law, on the same day. The police confiscated Mr. Che's computer, several hundred yuan in cash, and some equipment that he uses to produce informational materials about Falun Gong.

The police attempted to force Ms. Che’s husband to provide information about local Falun Gong practitioners she had frequent contacts with, threatening to block their son from finding a job after he graduates with his master's degree. It’s not clear whether he complied.

When Ms. Che’s lawyer went to review her case document at Xiangyang District Procuratorate on November 28, 2019, he was told that her case had just been sent back to the police the day before for insufficient evidence.

Ms. Che’s father and husband recently went to the police station to demand her release. Li Aiguo, a deputy chief, lied and said that her case was still at the procuratorate and directed them to talk to the prosecutor, without admitting that the case had been returned to them weeks ago.

Related report:

Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province: 15 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Three Days