(Minghui.org) Groups of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials from Liquan County, Shaanxi Province have been going from village to village, harassing and arresting Falun Gong practitioners at their homes, in the name of “maintaining stability.”

Practitioners Mr. Zhao Chongan and his wife Ms. Zhang Xueya, were illegally arrested on March 20, 2014, one day after the county party officials harassed them at home.

The couple was taken to the Chigan Police Station, where they were beaten and locked in small cells. Ms. Zhang was released two days later, after the police extorted money from the family. Mr. Zhao is still in custody.

When the CCP officials went to the home in Maling Village on March 19, the couple explained the facts about Falun Gong, and gave them DVD's containing information about the practice.

Yet, to the couple's surprise, a group of officers from the Chigan Police Station showed up around noon the next day. They ransacked their home and confiscated Dafa books and truth-clarification materials, including DVD's. Mr. Zhao and Ms. Zhang were carried to a police car and taken to the Chigan Police Station.

At the station they were beaten, locked in a small cell, and told they must pay a 300 yuan fee to cover expenses.

Ms. Zhang was later taken to the Wenlin Road Police Station in Weicheng District, Xianyang City. She was forced to undergo a physical examination on March 22, and to pay 800 yuan in medical expenses. She was released later that day after a 200 yuan payment was extorted from the family. The police threatened the family and said that they must pay the remainder of the money within three days.

Mr. Zhao is being held at the Qiaobei Administrative Detention Center. His face is still swollen. His family is appealing for his release.

Parties participated in the persecution of Mr. Zhao and Ms. Zhang: Zhao Duofang (赵多放), director of Chigan Police Station: +96-13992073228 (Cell), +86-13259013728 (Cell) Gao Xu (高旭), police officer of Chigan Police Station: +96-15891001608 (Cell) Xu Jun (许军), member of the Liquan County Communist Party Standing Committee, secretary of the Liquan County Political and Legislative Affairs Committee: +86-29-35621433 (Office), +86-29-35619618 (Office) Ji Haoruo (季昊若), deputy secretary of the Liquan County Political and Legislative Affairs Committee, director of the Comprehensive Management Office: +86-29-35621433 (Office), +86-29-35619618 (Office)