(Minghui.org) According to data compiled by the Minghui website, 1,251 residents in Hebei Province are confirmed to have been retaliated against since May 2015 for filing criminal complaints against former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin.

These citizens were targeted after accusing Jiang of breaking the law and initiating the persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline based on the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

The youngest victims are two school-age girls; Zhang Xueyu, 12, and Zhang Xuejiao, 17, were threatened by their teachers and local authorities after they mailed out their criminal complaints. They were forced to write statements promising never to practice Falun Gong again. If they refused, they would be denied schooling.

Three other practitioners have died after being harassed or arrested by police. A fourth practitioner has been sentenced to prison, while three others are facing trial. The status of the remaining practitioners targeted remains to be investigated.

The retaliation against local Falun Gong practitioners was spread across ten cities within the province. Five cities registered triple-digit cases, from a 110 in Zhangjiakou to 266 in Tangshan. Other cities saw double-digit retaliation cases, ranging from 32 in Qinhuangdao to 85 in Langfang.

In each city, between 17 and 83 departments and agencies were involved in retaliation against practitioners, who often received unexpected phone calls or home visits from police. Some were even arrested or had their homes ransacked.

Despite the threat from communist authorities, many locals who do not practice Falun Gong have stood up to lend support to practitioners. In Tangshan alone, 57,000 people signed petitions calling for the prosecution of Jiang Zemin.

Some practitioners also reported that the agents dispatched to call or visit them seemed to be just going through motions. A few even expressed interest in learning Falun Gong after coming to understand the persecution.

Three Deaths

Mr. Yuan Shuchen, 65, suddenly passed away on the day of his arrest on August 21, 2015. The police stated the reason of death as a “heart problem.” His family is working to find out the true cause of his death.

Mr. Xu Zengliang mailed out his criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin in July 2015. His home was ransacked by police three months later. He visited the local police station three times to request the return of his confiscated cell phone and copy of Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong. The police threatened to arrest him instead. He was forced to live away from home and later died destitute.

Mr. Xu

Ms. Yan was arrested on January 15, 2015 for suing Jiang Zemin. The director of the local brainwashing center called her family on February 2, ordering them to get 1,500 yuan ready before picking her up. Her family saw her lying in bed and appearing very weak. She died at home on March 13.

Ms. Yan

One Sentenced

Mr. Liu Shenxin was sentenced to one year in prison by the Hengshui City Court.

Three Facing Trial

The following three practitioners have been formally arrested. It is unclear when they will be tried.

Mr. He, 71, was arrested in November 2015 and is now held at Wanti Prison.

Ms. Wang Fenglai was arrested on December 12, 2015. Her lawyer had to file a complaint against the local procuratorate before the latter agreed to accept his application to legally represent her.

Ms. Chai was arrested on December 14, 2015 and formally arrested on December 29.

Background

In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.

The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners in the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.

Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.

Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.

Related Reports:Practitioner Dies Hours After Arrest in HengshuiZunhua Police Illegally Detain 11 Practitioners for Suing Jiang ZeminMs. Chai Junxia Arrested for Filing a Criminal Complaint Against Jiang Zemin