(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 13 cities or counties in 6 provinces, where at least 19 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Hu Lifeng and Ms. Zhang Chuzhi Held in Brainwashing Center
2. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Lei Xiaoli Tried in Court
3. [Laishui County, Hebei Province] Ms. Song Shuhua and Her Daughter Persecuted
4. [Guantao County, Hebei Province] Mr. Guo Fake Arrested
5. [Huanggang City, Hubei Province] Ms. Cheng Lianlian Arrested
6. [Shenzhou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Gao Chunnuan Harassed
7. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Dong Peirong Harassed
8. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Ms. Yao Guihua Faces Trial
9. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Li Feipeng and Mr. Wu Chengjun Persecuted
10. [Huangshi City, Hubei Province] Mr. Chen Xuedong and His Wife Arrested
11. [Hengshui City, Hebei Province] Ms. Song Wenying and Ms. Cui Guili Harassed
12. [Weihai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wang Peilian Harassed
13. [Nantong City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Huang Baiming Arrested

1. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Hu Lifeng and Ms. Zhang Chuzhi Held in Brainwashing Center

Ms. Hu Lifeng and Ms. Zhang Chuzhi from Wuhan City, are both in their 70s. They were arrested by officers from the Zongguan Police Station on August 8, 2021 for explaining the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong to people in the Qiaokou District. Ms. Hu and Ms. Zhang are being held in the Yusunshan Brainwashing Center in the Jianghan District, where they are forced to listen to or watch content that defames Falun Gong.

2. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Lei Xiaoli Tried in Court

Ms. Lei Xiaoli from Xi’an City was tried in the Lianhu District Court on August 13, 2021. The court used the pretense of the pandemic to block her relatives from entering the courtroom. They had to wait outside.

Ms. Lei was arrested in April 2021 for placing a flyer about Falun Gong on a bank ATM machine. The evidence used to prosecute her was a photo of an ATM machine. Neither Ms. Lei or any flyers were in the photo. 

At the end of the court session Ms. Lei said that she would appeal to the upper court.

3. [Laishui County, Hebei Province] Ms. Song Shuhua and Her Daughter Persecuted

The case against Ms. Song Shuhua was recently submitted to the Laishui Procuratorate. Ms. Song was arrested on June 16, 2021 for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong in public. She has been held in the Baoding Detention Center since July 1. 

Her daughter Ms. Li Shuang was arrested while riding a bus on August 11, 2019. Officers from the Fuchengmenwai Police Station in Beijing intercepted the bus and took her to the Xicheng District Detention Center. She has been held there for over two years, which exceeds the legal time limit.

The Xicheng District Police Department submitted the case against Ms. Li to the Xicheng District Procuratorate. She was charged with “using a (slanderous word deleted) to undermine the enforcement of the law,” a charge often used against Falun Gong practitioners. The procuratorate rejected the case because there was insufficient evidence and the facts were not clear. Her lawyer asked the Xicheng Police Department to withdraw the case and release Ms. Li. The police department refused to release her, or to release her on bail. The court tried Ms. Li twice without reaching a verdict. The court did not order that she be released, and they did not allow family visits.

4. [Guantao County, Hebei Province] Mr. Guo Fake Arrested

Li Junshan, head of the Domestic Security Division in Guantao County, and officers from the Wangqiao Township Police Station searched Mr. Guo Fake’s home on July 21, 2021. Mr. Guo was not home at the time. The police confiscated numerous copies of Minghui Weekly, a USB flash drive loaded with information about Falun Gong, and a laptop. The laptop was later returned to Mr. Guo.

A week later, Li Junshan and two officers from the Wangqiao Township Police Station took Mr. Guo to the police station and interrogated him. When they tried to take Mr. Guo to a detention center, his admission was denied because he suffered from severe incontinence and hydronephrosis. Mr. Guo was bailed out with 5,000 yuan.

In 2000, Mr. Guo was assaulted by a group of officers in Beijing when he went to Tiananmen Square to speak up for Falun Gong. One of the officers violently kicked his crotch and caused his incontinence and hydronephrosis.

5. [Huanggang City, Hubei Province] Ms. Cheng Lianlian Arrested

Ms. Cheng Lianlian and another practitioner from Bali Town, Hong’an County, were reported to the police when they distributed informational materials about Falun Gong in residential quarters on the evening of August 21, 2021. Officers from the Bali Police Station surrounded them and arrested them. Ms. Cheng’s home was searched and her printer and informational materials about Falun Gong were confiscated.

6. [Shenzhou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Gao Chunnuan Harassed

Three officers from the Datun Township Police Station drove to Ms. Gao Chunnuan’s home on August 17, 2021. They asked her if she still practiced Falun Gong. Ms. Gao said that whoever practices Falun Gong benefits. They did not respond. Then two officers took out their cell phones intending to photograph Ms. Gao. Ms. Gao did not cooperate. They asked for her identification card, but Ms. Gao refused to give it to them. When they tried to photograph her again Ms. Gao again did not let them. They left.

7. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Ms. Dong Peirong Harassed

An officer from the Dongxiaozhuang Police Station called Ms. Dong Peirong on August 20, 2021, and asked whether she still practiced Falun Gong. Ms. Dong said that she still practiced. “Because I was sick before and I recovered from all my diseases after practicing Falun Gong,” she said. “You also know Falun Gong is good, right?!” The officer said, “If it makes you feel good, then just practice it at home.”

8. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Ms. Yao Guihua Faces Trial

Ms. Yao Guihua, 56, lives in Lingzi Town, Zichuan District. She was arrested by a group of police officers on May 14, 2021 when she was cleaning near her front door. She was forced into a police vehicle and has been held in the Zibo Detention Center.

The case against her was submitted to the Zichuan District Court. The court notified Ms. Yao’s family that a trial for Ms. Yao was scheduled on the morning of September 1.

9. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Li Feipeng and Mr. Wu Chengjun Persecuted

The Huanren County Court planned to open a court session against Mr. Li Feipeng on August 31, 2021. No lawyer was hired to defend Mr. Li. His family member will defend him.

Mr. Wu Chengjun, arrested on October 15 2020, was tried on July 21, 2021. His lawyer defended him very well and the public prosecutor was speechless.

After the trial, Ms. Wu’s family submitted a letter to departments at various levels to advise them to be just, and to request that the case be withdrawn and Mr. Wu be released.

10. [Huangshi City, Hubei Province] Mr. Chen Xuedong and His Wife Arrested

Mr. Chen Xuedong and his wife were arrested. Officers from the Xisai District Police Department tricked Mr. Chen into opening the door for them on August 20, 2021. They confiscated items including several Falun Gong books, 2 computers, and money that had facts about Falun Gong written on it. It’s said that they were taken to the Xialu District Brainwashing Center.

11. [Hengshui City, Hebei Province] Ms. Song Wenying and Ms. Cui Guili Harassed

Officers including Hou Liqiang from the Lubei Police Station harassed Ms. Song Wenying on August 17, 2021. Before that, they continuously harassed her through phone calls. They called her to set a time to meet. When they met Ms. Song, they asked whether she had an electric power cart and who she contacted.

An officer from the Lubei Police Station went to Ms. Cui Guili’s home and harassed her in early August, 2021. He wore a recording device in front of his chest. Ms. Cui asked him to shut off the recording device, but he refused. He has called multiple times before and harassed her husband and daughter.

12. [Weihai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wang Peilian Harassed

Ms. Wang Peilian’s husband, who works in a hospital, was notified by his division director that the Xinglong Community asked his wife to go to the community office to meet Party secretary Dong.

Ms. Wang went. A few people talked to her for a little while, then officers in plainclothes including Li Benhai, head of the Domestic Security Division, came in and unlawfully interrogated Ms. Wang. Li demanded that she sign a statement to renounce Falun Gong. Ms. Wang refused. Li then threatened to search her home, confiscate her property, lock her up, and also undermine her family members including her son’s jobs, unless she signed.

Worried about his wife, Ms. Wang’s husband went to the community office while she was there. Threatened by officers, he signed Ms. Wang’s name on the sheet, against his will.

13. [Nantong City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Huang Baiming Arrested

Mr. Huang Baiming, from Nantong City, was arrested in August, 2020 in Lianping County, Heyuan City, Guangdong Province where he was working. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Chinese version available

Category: Accounts of Persecution