(Clearwisdom.net) The local authorities have relentlessly persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in Songjia Village of Nanliu Town, Fangzi District, Weifang City, Shandong Province. Practitioners Song Xishan and Song Jinfang died as a result of the persecution, and practitioner Wang Shiyun's 80-year-old mother-in-law passed away due to a heart attack caused by the harassment.

Mr. Song Xishan gained a healthy body after he started to practice Falun Gong. At 5:00 a.m. on February 9, 2000, officials from the local 610 Office and the police station arrested him at home. He was detained for over a month and was forced to pay 1,500 yuan before he was released. His home was ransacked, and his TV and tape recorder were confiscated. Even after his release, Mr. Song was constantly harassed. On February 3, 2002, he died at the age of 67.

Ms. Song Jinfang went to Beijing to validate Dafa on December 16, 2000. She was arrested by the Tiananmen Square police. In detention, the police ordered her to pay a fine of over 3,000 yuan. Since she did not have the money, the police ransacked her homestead, confiscating all her crops and a tractor. Ms. Song went on a hunger strike to protest and was brutally tortured. After she was released, she was still constantly threatened and harassed. On January 2, 2003, she died at the age of 36.

In December 2000, a group of practitioners from Anqiu City, including Mr. Song Shuyu, Liu Jianmei, Zhang Chunzhen, Zhou Chengxin, Ms. Lang Xiulian, Liu Zhenlian, Song Jinfang, Song Limei, Mr. Wang Shiyun, Feng Shujuan, and Wang Xiufen, went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong. They were all arrested on Tiananmen Square and then sent to the Anqiu City Liaison Office in Beijing. The staff members there body searched everybody and took away all their cash. In addition, they beat these practitioners savagely. As a result, 60-year-old Mr. Song Shunyu and Feng Shujuan, as well as 16-year-old Song Limei had their faces beaten beyond recognition. Later on these practitioners' homes were ransacked as well.

These practitioners were taken back to Anqiu City. Mr. Song Shuyu, Ms. Lang Xiulian and Mr. Wang Shiyun were then sent to the Anqiu Detention Center, where they were force-fed. One week later, Mr. Song Shuyu was released after he paid 200 yuan. Mr. Wang Shiyun was not released until 20 days later when he paid 2,000 yuan. Ms. Lang Xiulian was set free 25 days later but was soon arrested again and sent to a forced labor camp for two years.

At 11:00 p.m. on February 9, 2000, the Nanliu Town party secretary led the local police to Songjia Village and took all the practitioners there to the town government office. These practitioners were ordered to pay 3,000 yuan in cash and to promise not to go to Beijing to appeal again. Frightened by the police's behavior, Mr. Wang Shiyun's 80-year-old mother-in-law had a heart attack and died not long after.