(Minghui.org) Ms. Bo Jie and Ms. Zhang Zhenmei from the Hongqiao District in Tianjin were arrested on January 6, 2013 by officers from Xingnan Police Station. This was Ms. Bo's second time of being arrested since she began practicing Falun Gong less than two years ago. Her husband, who works for the Public Security Bureau, was harassed and punished because of his wife's belief. He was removed from his post and separated from the other employees.

At around 3:30 p.m. on January 6, 2013, Ms. Bo and Ms. Zhang were handing out truth-clarification DVDs to a security guard in the Dayuecheng area. An officer with the armed police who was patrolling the area came to them, saying that he had received orders from his superior to arrest any practitioners who were handing out Falun Gong materials. The officer then told a passer-by to call the police. Officers from the Xingnan Police Station soon arrived and arrested Ms. Bo and Ms. Zhang. The practitioners' families went to the police station that evening to ask for their release, but the officers there just ignored their requests. Early the next morning, police ransacked Ms. Bo's home. Ms. Bo and Ms. Zhang are being held in Nankai Detention Center.

Ms. Bo used to suffer from many illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis, cervical spondylosis, and a gynecological disease. Her skeletal structure started to deform and she later suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, a type of chronic (long-term) arthritis. Her body became stiff, and she became unable to take care of herself. She had to wear hats and scarves even in the summer, and spent a lot of money on medical treatments, but to no avail. After Ms. Bo began practicing Falun Gong in the spring of 2011, all of her illnesses soon disappeared, and she became much healthier.

Ms. Bo wanted to tell others about the goodness of Falun Gong; however, she was arrested twice. In May 2012, she was detained for ten days. Her husband, who works for the Public Security Bureau, was implicated because of her practice. His employers tried to force him to write some articles slandering Falun Gong, but he refused and instead put in a letter requesting his withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party. His superior had a conversation with him and forced him to take back the withdrawal letter. He was removed from his post and was isolated from his colleagues. His living allowance was also reduced.

Those involved in the persecution:
Xingnan Police Station: +86-22-27601618