(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 13 cities or counties in 9 provinces, where at least 16 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Beijing] Ms. Gu Xiaohua Missing
2. [Mianyang City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Liao Mingyu and Practitioner Jia Arrested
3. [Tianjin] Ms. Wang Shumin Detained; Husband Displaced
4. [Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Aiying and Her Son Arrested
5. [Chengde City, Hebei Province] Mr. Ji Shisheng and His Wife Ms. Ma Guoxia Arrested
6. [Shenzhou City, Hebei Province] Mr. Li Dengchen on Hunger Strike
7. [Yidu City, Hubei Province] Ms. Wang Mingfang's Home Ransacked
8. [Rizhao City, Shandong Province] Prison Sentence against Ms. Gong Hua and Ms. Sun Ping Upheld
9. [Anyang City, Henan Province] Ms. Zhao Hualing’s Current Situation
10. [Qingyang City, Gansu Province] Mr. Wang Mingquan Sentenced
11. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Deng Chuanjiu Detained
12. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Zhu Ya’s Visitation Rights Denied
13. [Fuyu City, Jilin Province] Ms. Ma Hua Detained

1. [Beijing] Ms. Gu Xiaohua Missing

Ms. Gu Xiaohua recently went missing. The door to her home was wide open and the place had been ransacked.

2. [Mianyang City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Liao Mingyu and Practitioner Jia Arrested

A practitioner with the last name Jia was arrested on the street by officers from the Anchang Town Police Station, Beichuan County, in late March 2019. The officers confiscated her Falun Gong books, photos of the founder of Falun Gong, an MP3 player, and other personal belongings. Jia was released two days later.

Ms. Liao Mingyu was also arrested by the officers on the same day. Her home was ransacked. She was held in the police station and released four days later.

3. [Tianjin] Ms. Wang Shumin Detained; Husband Displaced

Ms. Wang Shumin's husband went to the Lutai Police Station, three days after her arrest, asking when his wife would return home. The police said that Ms. Wang would be placed under criminal detention, and later sentenced to prison. The police arrested him and ransacked his home again.

Ms. Wang's husband had a heart attack when in custody, and was released. He could not endure the harassment and pressure from the authorities, and left home. His whereabouts are unknown.

Ms. Wang is being held in the Ninghe Detention Center.

4. [Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Aiying and Her Son Arrested

Ms. Zhang Aiying, from Houlijiashan Village in the Xinghualing District, was arrested at home on the morning of April 20, 2019. Her son tried to stop the officers, and was also arrested.

Ms. Zhang's home was ransacked.

5. [Chengde City, Hebei Province] Mr. Ji Shisheng and His Wife Ms. Ma Guoxia Arrested

Tian, the political head, and other officers including Cai Baiyong from the Nianziyu Town Police Station in Kuancheng County, broke into Mr. Ji Shisheng and Ms. Ma Guoxia's home in Taoshuyu Village on April 16, 2019. They took photos and ransacked the place. The couple was taken to the police station, and released that evening after filling out some paperwork.

The couple were arrested again at home the following day by Li Chang, head of the Domestic Security Division; Ma Fei, deputy head of the division; Tian, political head of the police station, and other officers. They were taken to the county police department, where they were interrogated in an underground interrogation room.

Mr. Ji was later released, while Ms. Ma was detained for 14 days.

Participants in the persecution:Li Changbao (李长宝), director, Nianziyu Town Police Station: +86-13653340000Tian (田), political head: +86-13932401786Li Chang (李昌), head, Domestic Security Division: +86-13731419566Ma Fei (马飞), deputy head: +86-13582868718, +86-314-6863362

6. [Shenzhou City, Hebei Province] Mr. Li Dengchen on Hunger Strike

Mr. Li Dengchen, 77, has been held in the Shenzhou City Detention Center since his arrest last year. He went on a hunger strike, and was admitted to an intensive care unit on April 20, 2019. He is very thin and frail.

7. [Yidu City, Hubei Province] Ms. Wang Mingfang's Home Ransacked

The deputy director of the Lucheng Police Station and five other officers broke into 82-year old Ms. Wang Mingfang's home and ransacked it on April 18, 2019. They confiscated photos of the founder of Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun, copies of Minghui Weekly, Falun Gong calendars, and other personal belongings.

Ms. Wang's computer was returned after her Falun Gong related files were deleted.

8. [Rizhao City, Shandong Province] Prison Sentenced against Ms. Gong Hua and Ms. Sun Ping Upheld

Ms. Gong was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 8,000 yuan, and Ms. Sun was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 5,000 yuan. After they appealed, the Rizhao City Intermediate Court upheld original verdicts on March 28, 2019, without holding a public hearing.

9. [Anyang City, Henan Province] Ms. Zhao Hualing’s Current Situation

Ms. Zhao Hualing, 78, was arrested by plainclothes officer in October 2016, for distributing Falun Gong informational materials. The police took her to Anyang City Detention Center, but the authorities there refused to accept her because she failed the physical examination.

Ms. Zhao was sentenced to a two-year prison term with three years probation for practicing Falun Gong. She recently developed some physical conditions as a result of the mental distress induced by the persecution.

After she was convicted by the local court, the police demanded that her children report to them every week on behalf of their mother. The police also frequently harassed her around sensitive dates.

10. [Qingyang City, Gansu Province] Mr. Wang Mingquan Sentenced

Mr. Wang Mingquan, 59, was arrested at home on October 4, 2017. The police ransacked his computer, printer and other Falun Gong related materials. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 10,000 yuan by the Huan County Court on June 22, 2018. He appealed, but the Qingyang City Intermediate Court upheld the original verdict on September 25, 2018.

11. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Deng Chuanjiu Detained

Mr. Deng Chuanjiu, 49, was arrested at his workplace on October 8, 2017. The police accused him of using WeChat to disseminate information about Falun Gong. He was held in a brainwashing center for a week and deprived of sleep.

Mr. Deng was transferred to the Pengzhou City Detention Center on October 16, 2017, where he is still being held.

12. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Zhu Ya’s Visitation Rights Denied

Ms. Zhu Ya, 55, was arrested on April 25, 2017, and sentenced to eight years in prison on July 17, 2018. She appealed, but the Wuhan City Intermediate Court upheld the original verdict.

Ms. Zhu was taken to the Wuhan Women's Prison on September 12, 2018. Her family has not been allowed to visit her for the past two years. Her daughter, Ms. Chen Xueting, only saw her once during her court appearance on June 15, 2018. She was saddened to see that her mother's once black hair had turned completely gray.

13. [Fuyu City, Jilin Province] Ms. Ma Hua Detained

Ms. Ma Hua was arrested on January 23, 2019, while she was talking to people about Falun Gong at a farmer's market in Bacha Village, Dasanjia Township. She was taken to the Shanyou Detention Center. Her husband's life is very difficult without her, as he cannot take care of himself.