(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 21 cities or counties in 12 provinces, where at least 56 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Shantou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Cai Yuchang Arrested
2. [Pingdu City, Shandong Province] Mr. Guan Zhongji in Critical Condition
3. [Longkou City, Shandong Province] Ms. Zhuang Shuhua Wanted Again
4. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Mr. Zhu Xiaoguang and Ms. Yang Li Arrested
5. [Beijing] Ms. Wang Junzhen Arrested
6. [Shifang City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Lu Shenghui Harassed Several Times
7. [Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Zhang Xijun Detained
8. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Five Practitioners Arrested
9. [Tianjin] Ms. Deng Jiying Harassed
10. [Xuchang City, Henan Province] Ms. Lou Yahong Held in Detention Center
11. [Huixian City, Henan Province] Ms. Wang Qingmei Taken to Detention Center
12. [Deyang City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Ju Kaijiang Arrested
13. [Baoji City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Cai Jinrong and Ms. Jia Chungui Tried
14. [Changde City, Hunan Province] Several Practitioners Arrested
15. [Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province] Ms. Ji Guizhen Sentenced to Prison
16. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Ms. Zhang Fuzhen Harassed
17. [Tianjin] Ms. Yang Huimin and Ms. Zhang Wenxiang Harassed
18. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Huang Yongmei Harassed
19. [Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Hu Guofen Harassed
20. [Maoming City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Huang Zhufeng and Family Members Arrested
21. [Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Ding Guiqin Harassed
22. [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Over 20 Practitioners Tried Via Video Link
23. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Four Practitioners Facing Trial
24. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Ms. Guo Xiaoxia Missing
25. [Zhaoyuan City, Shandong Province] Mr. Peng Lekuan Subpoenaed

1. [Shantou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Cai Yuchang Arrested

Ms. Cai Yuchang, in her 60s, was reported to the police for telling people about Falun Gong and distributing Falun Gong materials at noon on December 12, 2020. She was arrested and taken to the Waisha Airport Police Station.

The police took her keys and over a dozen officers ransacked her home that afternoon. They confiscated Falun Dafa books and printed materials.

2. [Pingdu City, Shandong Province] Mr. Guan Zhongji in Critical Condition

Mr. Guan Zhongji, 65, was arrested at his son’s home in Qingdao City by officers from the Pingdu City 610 Office and the Renzhao Police Station in May 2018. He was taken to the No. 11 Ward in Jinan Prison.

Since December 2019, prison officials have prevented his family from seeing him. It was reported recently that Mr. Guan was brutally abused and was admitted to the hospital in October 2020. He had heart failure and is in critical condition.

3. [Longkou City, Shandong Province] Ms. Zhuang Shuhua Wanted Again

Ms. Zhuang Shuhua’s case was turned over to the Longkou City Procuratorate by the Longkou City Police Department on May 9, 2019. The Longkou City Court scheduled her trial for July 19, 2019. She left home and became displaced.

To arrest Ms. Zhuang, the Longkou City Domestic Security Division mobilized a large number of people to search for her. Over a year later, they'd made no arrest.

The Longkou City Court offered a reward of 10,000 yuan via social media app Longkou on the Palm on October 22, 2020, for information leading to her arrest. The court also posted arrest warrants for her on her door and in nearby streets.

The court once again issued a notice for her arrest over the Internet on December 11.

4. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Mr. Zhu Xiaoguang and Ms. Yang Li Arrested

Mr. Zhu Xiaoguang and Ms. Yang Li were arrested at home by four or five officers from the Hongqi Street Police Station on December 16, 2020. They confiscated Falun Dafa books. Mr. Zhu was released after 9 p.m. that night. Ms. Yang was still being held.

Ms. Yang’s cousin went to the police station the following afternoon and demanded her release. He was told that she had been placed under criminal detention and taken to the No. 4 Detention Center.

5. [Beijing] Ms. Wang Junzhen Arrested

Ms. Wang Junzhen was arrested for distributing Falun Gong materials on December 16, 2020. Nearly 20 officers from the Dongzhimen Police Station and the Chaoyangmen Police Station escorted Ms. Wang home to ransack the place. They confiscated a computer, a printer, photos of the founder of Falun Gong, and Falun Dafa books. Ms. Wang is being held in the Dongzhimen Police Station.

6. [Shifang City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Lu Shenghui Harassed Several Times

Retired director Zhou Li of Yangguang Community and other staff members harassed 60-year-old Ms. Lu three times in September 2020. They told her to sign guarantee statements renouncing Falun Gong. Ms. Lu refused to sign and told them the facts about Falun Gong.

7. [Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Zhang Xijun Detained

Ms. Zhang Xijun from Qili Village, Tianpeng Town, was reported to the police for talking to people about Falun Gong on December 15, 2020. She was arrested by officers from the Tianpeng Police Station. The officers ransacked her home and confiscated all her Falun Dafa books. She is being detained.

8. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Five Practitioners Arrested

Mr. Li Wanbiao, Ms. Zheng Chunmei, Mr. Lu Zhengwei, Ms. Wang Xiubo, and another practitioner were arrested by Sun Hengfei and other officers from the Ningjiang District Domestic Security Division on December 14, 2020.

9. [Tianjin] Ms. Deng Jiying Harassed

Officers from the Tianta Street Police Station and Residential Committee members went to Ms. Deng Jiying’s home several times between November and December 2020. They pressured her to sign statements. She refused. They threatened to lay off her daughter if she did not sign.

They then took official letters to Ms. Deng’s daughter’s place of work to harass her. As a result, her employer told her to go home and not to return for the time being.

This has put a great strain on Ms. Deng and her family. Her husband’s heart disease has gotten worse and their lives have been disrupted.

10. [Xuchang City, Henan Province] Ms. Lou Yahong Held in Detention Center

Ms. Lou Yahong was arrested by Dingzhuang Police Station officers on the morning of December 15, 2020. She is being held in the Yulin Detention Center.

11. [Huixian City, Henan Province] Ms. Wang Qingmei Taken to Detention Center

Ms. Wang Qingmei was reported to the police for posting Falun Gong materials in Huicheng Garden on the morning of December 16, 2020. She was arrested and taken to the Huixian City Detention Center by officers from the Baiquan Police Station and Huixian City Domestic Security Division.

12. [Deyang City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Ju Kaijiang Arrested

Mr. Ju Kaijiang, 70, was arrested at home in the Tianyuan Community in the Jingyang District, by officers from the Deyang City Police Department, the 610 Office, the State Security Division, and village officials on the morning of December 16, 2020. His current whereabouts are unknown.

13. [Baoji City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Cai Jinrong and Ms. Jia Chungui Tried

Ms. Cai Jinrong and Ms. Jia Chungui were tried in the Jintai District Court on December 15, 2020. When Ms. Cai was brought into the courtroom, her family saw that she was very weak, had difficulty breathing, and hardly had the strength to speak.

14. [Changde City, Hunan Province] Several Practitioners Arrested

Several practitioners, including sisters Xiaowen and Xiaofan, were arrested on December 16, 2020.

15. [Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province] Ms. Ji Guizhen Sentenced to Prison

Ms. Ji Guizhen was tried in the Wujiang Court on August 11, 2020. She was recently sentenced to a three-year-and-three-month prison term and fined 3,000 yuan.

16. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Ms. Zhang Fuzhen Harassed

Officers from the Zhihe Police Station and community personnel went to the entrance of Ms. Zhang Fuzhen’s building and called her husband on December 10, 2020. He did not let them come upstairs.

When he went down to the entrance, the officers told him to sign a form verifying that Ms. Zhang “has stopped practicing Falun Gong.” They threatened to take Ms. Zhang to a brainwashing center if he did not sign. Ms. Zhang’s husband, who is not a practitioner, signed the form.

17. [Tianjin] Ms. Yang Huimin and Ms. Zhang Wenxiang Harassed

Local police officers, town head Xue, deputy town head Meng, and the director of Anzhuang Village Women’s Federation went to Ms. Yang Huimin’s home again in Nancai Village in the Wuqing District on the morning of December 17, 2020.

They also called Ms. Yang’s daughter-in-law’s employer that day and told them to keep an eye on Ms. Yang’s daughter-in-law.

Government staff member Liu Jianxin and Nancaicun Town Party secretary Wang Xiyue went to Ms. Zhang Wenxiang’s home on December 9 and told her to sign “transformation” statements.

18. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Huang Yongmei Harassed

Director Yao of the Changshou Community on Hanzhong Street and someone responsible for monitoring Internet content told Ms. Huang Yongmei to go to the community office on November 9, 2020.

They ordered her to make a statement that she would give up practicing Falun Gong and threatened to take her to a brainwashing center if she did not. Ms. Huang refused.

Her niece later picked her up. The director of the residential committee still calls to harass her every few days.

19. [Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Hu Guofen Harassed

Officers from the Longfeng Town Police Station broke into Ms. Hu Guofen’s home, harassed her, and ransacked the place on December 11, 2020.

20. [Maoming City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Huang Zhufeng and Family Members Arrested

Mr. Huang Zhufeng was arrested by police officers waiting downstairs in his apartment building on December 12, 2020. They then called in more officers from the Zhanqian Police Station, who ransacked his home.

Mr. Huang’s wife Ms. Xie Yuezhen and their son were also arrested and taken to the police station for interrogation.

At the police station, officers forced Ms. Xie and her son to write and sign guarantee statements. Both Ms. Xie and her son were released on bail. Mr. Huang was still in custody.

21. [Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Ding Guiqin Harassed

Three officers from the Mishan City No. 1 Police Station broke into 77-year-old Ms. Ding Guiqin’s home on December 17, 2020. They asked if she had Falun Gong materials at home and started taking pictures. Ms. Ding stopped them.

Officers from the Mishan City No. 3 Police Station went to Ms. Shuai Yujuan’s home and ransacked the place on December 17. Her current situation is unknown.

22. [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Over 20 Practitioners Tried Via Video Link

Over 20 practitioners, including Ms. Li Shuping, were tried via video link by the Heping District Court on December 16, 2020. No family members were present, but lawyers were there and defended their innocence. The court has not yet announced the verdict.

23. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Four Practitioners Facing Trial

Mr. Zhou Guoqing, Mr. Zhang Bo, Mr. Xiong Youyi, and Mr. Li Jun will be tried in the Wuchang District Court on the afternoon of December 24, 2020.

24. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Ms. Guo Xiaoxia Missing

Ms. Guo Xiaoxia is missing, and practitioners who were often seen with her are also missing. Details are pending.

25. [Zhaoyuan City, Shandong Province] Mr. Peng Lekuan Subpoenaed

Mr. Peng Lekuan was taken to the Quanshan police station by plainclothes officer Guo Yucun for talking to people about Falun Gong at Wenquan Park on August 6, 2020.

At the police station, his family pressured him to sign statements. Prosecutor Liu Yanxia submitted the case to the court. Judge Wang Chundong issued a subpoena on December 3, 2020, notifying Mr. Peng to report to the court.