Over a Dozen Practitioners in Benxi City Arrested in Single Day

(Minghui.org) Under the order of the Liaoning Province 610 Office, police arrested over 100 Falun Gong practitioners on June 28, 2016, including more than 12 practitioners in Benxi City.

Most of the Benxi practitioners were arrested at their homes. The police waited outside the practitioners' homes as early as 5:00 a.m., and arrested the practitioners as soon as they came out.

The practitioners were taken to detention centers. Some were released after being detained for several days. Some are still detained and facing prosecution.

The following practitioners are still detained: Gao Chongyan, Song Yuegang, Liu Hui, Wang Yanxia, and Zhang Huan and his wife.

The following practitioners were released: Ma Wancheng, Cui Bin, Zong Hongdong, Zhang Liang, Zhang Guiping, Zhang Guixiang, Dong Shuhai, Li Li, and Ms. Xiao.

Mr. Song Yuegang

Mr. Song Yuegang was arrested immediately after he left home around 5:00 a.m. Ms. Wang Wei, his wife who was two months pregnant, came out after hearing his shouts. She saw officers holding her husband down, and she immediately stepped back inside and locked the door. The police beat on the door and tried to trick her into opening it.

The officers did not leave until 11:30 a.m. Over 20 officers participated in the arrest of Mr. Song.

Ms. Wang brought her 15-month-old daughter, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law to the police station the next day and requested Mr. Song’s release. The police threatened to arrest them if they did not leave. The police also had the families’ homes ransacked on June 30 and confiscated 9,000 yuan in cash.

Ms. Wang Wei in front of the police station

Mr. Song was arrested in November 2000 and illegally detained at the Benxi City Forced Labor Camp, where he suffered various tortures. He was beaten with an electric baton and kept in a small cell with both hands cuffed behind his back for 28 days, which resulted in both wrists turning black. The guards took him to the "Stretching Room" and hung him up for two weeks with both his hands and feet in the air. He was severely beaten for several days and his face became misshaped.

Mr. Song was also illegally sentenced to eight years in prison in 2002 and incarcerated at the Wafangdian Prison in Liaoning Province.

Other Arrests

Officers from the Dongfethng Police Station broke into Ms. Zhang Guixiang's home around 5:00 a.m. on June 28. They ransacked her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books. She was held for 15 days at the Benxi City Detention Center.

Mr. Zhang Liang, a former doctor from the Benxi City Central Hospital, was arrested at home. The police ransacked his home and confiscated computers, printers, Falun Gong books, and other personal belongings. His one-and-half year old child was home during the incident. Mr. Zhang was illegally sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2002 and incarcerated in the Nanshan Prison in Jinzhou City.

Ms. Wang Yanxia from Mingshan District was arrested by the police and local community officials at 11:00 a.m. The police also ransacked her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books and other personal belongings. She is still held at the Benxi City Detention Center.

Ms. Gao Chongyan, 62, is held at the Benxi City Detention Center. Ms. Gao was arrested and taken to the Gaotaizi Police Station on April 20, 2011. The police hired a thug to beat her. She was later detained at the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. She refused to give up her belief in Falun Gong and was sent every day for six months to Donggang—a location reserved for the torture of Falun Gong practitioners.

Mr. Dong Shuhai was arrested by officers from the Benxi City Domestic Security Division and the Mingshan District Police Station at 9:00 a.m. The police ransacked his home and confiscated Falun Gong books, computers, printers, a car, 4,000 yuan in cash, and other personal belongings. He was released due to health problems.

Ms. Ren Hui, in her 70s, was harassed by 12 plainclothes officers led by the deputy chief of the Hexi Police Station. The police tried to arrest her, but failed due to her and her family's resistance.

Parties involved in the persecution:Zhu Wenqing, chief of Benxi City Police Department: [phone], [phone], [phone]Cheng Jinbao, captain of the No. 2 Domestic Security Division of Benxi City: [phone]Shi Fengyou, party secretary of the Benxi City Political and Legal Affairs Committee: [phone], [phone], [phone], [phone]Mingshan District 610 Office in Benxi City: [phone], [phone]Mingshan District Police Department: [phone]Xihu District 610 Office: [phone], [phone]Xihu District Police Department: [phone]

Related article:Liaoning Province: 101 Arrested in One Day