(Minghui.org) Seventeen residents of Bazhong City were arrested within five hours on December 22, 2017, for their faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999.

The Bazhou District Procuratorate charged ten of the practitioners with “using a cult to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used by the Chinese communist regime to frame and imprison Falun Gong practitioners. It forwarded the case to the Bazhou District Court on September 28, 2018, and the practitioners are scheduled to stand trial on November 7, 2018.

The prosecution evidence included the practitioners' criminal complaints against former communist regime leader Jiang Zemin for ordering the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999. The computers, printers, Falun Gong books, and materials confiscated from the practitioners' homes were also listed as evidence against them.

Yue Yingcong, Zhou Lihua, Dai Wanyi, Yang Jiashun, Kang Zunliu, Chen Guoqiong, Sun Rong, and Zhu Tiangui are awaiting trial at a local detention center. Zhang Minglang, 82, and Zhang Xingwei, nearly 90, are on bail due to their advanced age.

Mr. Zhang Minglang is a retired prosecutor from the Bazhou District Procuratorate. He began practicing Falun Gong in 1997 and credits the practice for restoring his health after recovering from a concussion, neurosis, hepatitis, gastric ulcer, and severe rheumatoid arthritis. He has been repeatedly arrested, detained, and harassed by police for holding firm to his faith.

In addition to the two elderly practitioners, seven other practitioners who were arrested on the same day have also been released on bail. It is unclear when Yue Shuyuan, Liu Yunkun, Li Shanyong, Yang Jiashun, Wen Qiong, Yan Shibi, and Li Yulan, will face indictment.

Related report:Snapshot of Falun Gong Practitioners Whose Lawsuits Against Jiang Zemin Were Received by Minghui on June 30, 2015