(Minghui.org) A 77-year-old resident of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province has developed high blood pressure and is in serious condition while being held in detention for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Zeng Jiageng, a retired engineer, has been detained for over 40 days at Guangzhou City No.1 Detention Center following his arrest on July 10, 2019.

Another seven practitioners, mostly in their late 70s and 80s, were arrested around the same time after the police suspected them of setting up hotspots to send Falun Gong related information to people's cellphones. Their arrests were approved by Guangzhou City Police Department on August 16.

Mr. Zeng Jiageng

A detention center guard called Mr. Zeng’s family on the afternoon of August 19 and told them about his medical condition. The guard asked them to contact the police and submit a bail request for him, as he wasn't suitable for continued detention.

Mr. Zeng’s family told a Minghui correspondent that their family has a history of high blood pressure, and the mental stress and possible physical mistreatment during detention may have induced his condition.

Given Mr. Zeng's advanced age, the family is now very worried about him. They have submitted a request to Guangzhou City Police Department, urging them to release their loved one unconditionally.

Several other practitioners' families said the police had rejected their bail requests of their loved ones, with the excuse that the practitioners might continue to spread information about Falun Gong.

Related report:

Eight Guangzhou Residents, Including Six in Their 70s and 80s, Arrested for Their Faith in Two Days

Related article in Chinese:广州市公安局非法逮捕六位年近八旬的老人