Chinese police have drawn attention by sending a blank piece of white paper to the family of a Falun Gong adherent as a reply for the reasons behind her abduction. An expert believes the act is absurd and possibly an attempt by the police to avoid future accountability for the persecution.
On that day, the police conducted an illegal search of her home, seizing personal items such as printer[s], computer[s], and books. Ms. Zuo is currently being illegally detained at the Second Detention Center of Fuzhou City, according to Minghui.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline and meditation practice with moral teachings based on the principles of “truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.” The practice was first introduced to the public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and quickly grew in popularity. It is now practiced in over 100 countries worldwide.
On the morning of May 23, Ms. Zuo’s family called Liu Weiping, the head of the State Security team, asking why she was arrested and when she would be released.
Mr. Liu replied, “We will send you a notice.”
On the morning of May 24, the family received a registered letter from the Jin'an District State Security team. When they opened the letter, they found a blank piece of paper without a single word on it.
The family later tried to call Mr. Liu, but the number was unavailable all day.
Wu Shaoping, a U.S.-based Chinese human rights lawyer, believes that the incident is “very absurd” and possibly an attempt by state security police to avoid leaving evidence, fearing future accountability.
Mr. Wu said the CCP could not arrest Ms. Zuo simply because she practiced Falun Gong.
“Whether based on facts or on faith, from the relevant reports, it does not appear that Zuo Xiuyun poses any social harm or has engaged in any illegal activities,” he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times.
He said the right to freedom of belief for Falun Gong practitioners is protected by China’s Constitution. Article 36 of the Constitution stipulates that Chinese citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief.
“No State organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion,” reads the Chinese Constitution.
“Firstly, it is very absurd … It is unheard of,” Mr. Wu said regarding the local police’s use of a blank piece of paper to explain the reasons for Ms. Zuo’s arrest and abduction. “They completely disregard the law, and even more so, they disregard the people involved.
Reminiscent of White Paper Revolution
On the other hand, the white paper, in this case, reminded Mr. Wu of the “White Paper Revolution,” which happened in China in response to the CCP’s “Zero-COVID” lockdown policy.The movement was named after the symbolic action of the local people raising white paper in response to the restriction of speech.
In addition to opposing the tough lockdown policy, the protesters also called for solutions to other irrationalities in Chinese society in what is seen as the largest anti-government rally and demonstration movement that broke out in mainland China since the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
“Are they using this blank paper to remind people of the White Paper Revolution?” Mr. Wu asked. “Are they using this blank paper to express their dissatisfaction with the CCP?”
Avoid Leaving Evidence
At the end of the interview, Mr. Wu raised another possibility that the Chinese police sent a piece of white paper to avoid leaving evidence for future accountability.“Are they afraid and fearful?” he asked.
“Because they know that this [persecution of Falun Gong] is an evil act that will certainly be recorded in history. Once Chinese society undergoes a transformation, those who participated in such evil deeds will likely be held accountable.
“Therefore, they may not want to leave any traces, which is also a possibility.”
“Of the 175 practitioners persecuted to death whose age is known, the youngest was 23 and the oldest was 93; 134 were 60 or older,” reads the article. “In 2023, the movement became aware that another 1,188 Falun Gong practitioners had been sentenced to jail penalties, in addition to those included in reports released in previous years.”
“The reports mention a variety of tortures the practitioners had to endure: wearing a straitjacket, being shocked with an electric baton, sprinkled with chili peppers, having their feet burned, being force-fed with mustard oil, or deprived of food and sleep. Several women were sexually assaulted.”
While some may object that the figures come from the Falun Gong community itself, Bitter Winter “regards the figures about those sentenced as believable” on the basis of “the number of trials reported by local media.”
