(Minghui.org) Eight Falun Gong practitioners in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province were arrested between September 10-11, 2020, for studying the teachings of their faith together.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

More than 30 police officers broke into Mr. Ding Yongsheng’s home on the evening of September 10, 2020. The five practitioners who were studying Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong, including Mr. Ding and his wife, were arrested.

The police next arrested two practitioners who had just returned home from Mr. Ding’s place. One more female practitioner in her 70s was arrested on the next day.

Seven of the eight practitioners had their homes ransacked. Most of their Falun Gong books, related materials, computers, and media players were confiscated.

The police had monitored Mr. Ding’s residence for months. They had also followed and taken pictures of those who often came to his home for the group study of Falun Gong teachings, before making the arrests.

It’s now known that Mr. Ding, Ms. Mao Aiqin, Ms. Rong Lijuan, and Ms. Rong Liqin have been released. Ms. Huang Yuru and Ms. Huang Weinan were also released, but on bail for a year. Ms. Chen Xiufang and Ms. Pan Jufang are still being kept in detention at the time of writing.