(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 14 cities or counties in 12 provinces. According to this report, 5 Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention, and at least 15 were illegally arrested.

1. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Liu Xuerong Detained
2. [Liaocheng City, Shandong Province] Ms. Huang Huanzhi's and Ms. Gao Xiaoping's Cases Turned Over to Court
3. [Kunming City, Yunnan Province] Ms. Gao Cuifang Faces Trial
4. [Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Li Jun Sentenced to Prison
5. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Jiang Xiaoping Arrested
6. [Xiangtan City, Hunan Province] Mr. Wang Qingsheng and Ms. Lin Jia Sentenced to Prison
7. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Three Practitioners Arrested
8. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Wang Hai and Wife Ms. Han Xingli Arrested
9. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Mr. Lu Zuoxun Detained
10. [Mianyang City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Sun Renzhi’s Appeal Heard
11. [Xuchang City, Henan Province] Ms. Feng Jianhua Sentenced
12. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Shen Liqing Tried
13. [Datong City, Shanxi Province] Ms. Liu Shufang’s Case Submitted to Court
14. [Baoding City, Hebei Province] Two Practitioners Tried
15. [Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Zeng Hao Tried

1. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Liu Xuerong Detained

Ms. Liu Xuerong from Muping District was arrested by plainclothes officers while she was talking to others about Falun Gong in the Muping farmers market on the morning of July 17, 2018. Her home was ransacked. She is held in the Yantai City Detention Center.

2. [Liaocheng City, Shandong Province] Ms. Huang Huanzhi's and Ms. Gao Xiaoping's Cases Turned Over to Court

Ms. Huang Huanzhi and Ms. Gao Xiaoping were arrested by officers from the Lihaiwu Police Station while they were distributing Falun Gong materials on January 27, 2018. They have been held in the Liaocheng City Detention Center for more than six months. Their cases were turned over to the Dongchangfu District Procuratorate. The Procuratorate filed their cases at the Dongchangfu Court.

Participants in the persecution of Ms. Huang and Ms. Gao:Li Xinying (李新英), president, Dongchangfu Court: +86-635-8426016, +86-18866551001, +86-13869568996Han Lei (韩磊), Criminal Tribunal: +86-635-8423329, +86-18866551058Wang (王), deputy director, Lihaiwu Police Station: +86-13706353395Yu Ji'e (于继谔), chief, Dongchangfu Police Department: +86-635-7329618, +86-635-7323056, +86-13806357003Director, Detention Center: +86-635-7179601, +86-18706350089

3. [Kunming City, Yunnan Province] Ms. Gao Cuifang Faces Trial

Ms. Gao Cuifang will be tried at the Xundian County Court on the morning of August 10, 2018.

4. [Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Li Jun Sentenced to Prison

Mr. Li Ju, a primary school teacher from the Qinhuai District, was tried in March 2018. He was given a three-and-a-half-year prison term and fined 30,000 yuan on May 30. He appealed to the Nanjing City Intermediate Court, which upheld the original verdict during the second trial without a hearing on July 25.

Participants in the persecution of Mr. Li:Jiangsu Provincial Public Security Department: +86-25-83526888Zhang Fan (张凡), Nanjing City Police Department: +86-13951647329, +86-25-86015780, +86-25-84420854Shen Xiaohua (沈晓华), Nanjing City Police Department: +86-13851991471Wang Xiaomin (王筱敏), deputy head, Domestic Security Division: +86-18913862884Zhou Yadong (周亚东), deputy head, Nanjing City 610 Office: +86-13591843028

5. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Jiang Xiaoping Arrested

Ms. Jiang Xiaoping from Jiang'an District was arrested at home by officers from the Yongqingjie Police Station, the police department, and the State Security Division on the morning of July 5, 2018. The officers confiscated her cell phone, computer, and Falun Dafa books. Ms. Jiang's whereabouts are unknown.

Participant in the persecution of Ms. Jiang:Yongqingjie Police Station: +86-27-85395516

6. [Xiangtan City, Hunan Province] Mr. Wang Qingsheng and Ms. Lin Jia Sentenced to Prison

Mr. Wang Qingsheng and Ms. Lin Jia were arrested on August 14, 2017. They were held in the Xiangtan City Detention Center. It was reported recently that Mr. Wang was given a six-year prison term, and Ms. Lin a four-year prison term.

Participants in the persecution of Mr. Wang and Ms. Lin:Xiangtan City Police Department: +86-731-55297052, +86-731-55297051, +86-731-58513475Tang Tiexiang (唐铁湘), president, Xiangtan City Intermediate Court: +86-731-58553222Luo Jixiang (罗吉湘), presiding judge, Yuetang District Court: +86-731-58286110Dai Jihua (戴季华), Yuetang District Procuratorate: +86-18007328232

7. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Three Practitioners Arrested

Ms. Zhang Yunfeng, 56, from Huanren County was arrested by plainclothes officers on July 30, 2018. She suddenly had a heart attack and her blood pressure rose to 220. She was released.

Ms. Song Yumei and Mr. Guo Liyou were also arrested that day. Ms. Song was released that day after being fined 5,000 yuan. Mr. Guo remains in custody.

8. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Wang Hai and Wife Ms. Han Xingli Arrested

Mr. Wang Hai and his wife Ms. Han Xingli were arrested at the end of July 2018.

9. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Mr. Lu Zuoxun Detained

Mr. Lu Zuoxun from Fushan District was arrested by officers from the Hebinlu Police Station on the morning of July 14, 2018. He is held in the Yantai No. 1 Detention Center.

Participants in the persecution of Mr. Lu:Li Jianfeng (李建丰), Fushan District Police Department: +86-18865359777,+86-535-6463411Tang Jihong (唐吉宏), deputy chief: +86-18306386777, +86-535-6463418, +86-13806386006Liu Jiansheng (刘建胜), Fushan Domestic Security Division: +86-18660065052, +86-5356463521Wang Guohong (王国宏), subdivision head of the No. 1 Domestic Security Division: +86-18660065050, +86-5356351610, +86-13853501700

10. [Mianyang City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Sun Renzhi’s Appeal Heard

Mr. Sun Renzhi's nephew testified in his defense during a hearing in his appeal against his prison sentence.

Mr. Sun was arrested on April 9, 2017 and sentenced to 3 years in prison on May 22, 2018 for talking to people about Falun Gong. The Mianyang City Intermediate Court held a hearing on July 26. His nephew, Mr. Sun Houze, testified in his defense and demanded that his prison sentence be overturned.

The nephew emphasized that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and that his uncle should never have been arrested for his faith in the first place. Judge Wu Yingdi adjourned the hearing without issuing a verdict.

11. [Xuchang City, Henan Province] Ms. Feng Jianhua Sentenced

Ms. Feng Jianhua was sentenced to prison for distributing Falun Gong informational materials.

The 48-year-old Falun Gong practitioner was arrested on November 29, 2017 and appeared in court on April 13, 2018. She was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 5,000 yuan on July 12.

12. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Shen Liqing Tried

Ms. Shen Liqing was tried on August 1, 2018 for talking to people about Falun Gong.

Ms. Shen's lawyer, Mr. Zhang, and more than twelve family and friends attended the hearing held at the Xuanhua District Court.

Mr. Zhang requested that his client's handcuffs be removed, and the presiding judge agreed.

Prosecutor Yang Yuwei alleged that Ms. Shen broke the law by owning Falun Gong books and informational materials. Mr. Zhang countered that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and that it was lawful for his client to possess and spread information about Falun Gong.

The lawyer submitted two documents as part of his defense statements. He demanded his client's acquittal.

The presiding judge adjourned the session without issuing a verdict. Ms. Shen remains at the Zhangjiakou City Detention Center following her arrest on March 29, 2018.

13. [Datong City, Shanxi Province] Ms. Liu Shufang’s Case Submitted to Court

Ms. Liu Shufang was arrested on March 23, 2018 and has been detained at the Datong No. 1 Detention Center. Ms. Liu’s mother hired a lawyer to meet her in the middle of May. However the detention center didn’t allow the lawyer to meet her.

Ms. Liu’s mother received a call from Yungang District Court at the end of June 2018, saying her case had been submitted to the court.

14. [Baoding City, Hebei Province] Two Practitioners Tried

Mr. Zhao Lanchi and Ms. Wang Yanru were tried by Qingyuan District Court on the morning of July 25, 2018. The court entrance was blocked by officers from the Domestic Security Division and personnel from the comprehensive administration offices at the different level. They tried to stop Falun Gong practitioners from attending the trial.

Mr. Zhao defended himself and his daughter and a lawyer also defended him not guilty. The trial ended at 3:00 p.m. that afternoon.

15. [Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Zeng Hao Tried

Mr. Zeng Hao was arrested on August 10, 2017 and has been detained in the Haizhu District Detention Center.

Haizhu District Court tried Mr. Zeng on July 27, 2018. Five of his family members attended the trial. His lawyer defended him not guilty, pointing out that there was no victim in the case and the evidence submitted was illegal.