Shenze County, Hebei Province: 17 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested Between Midnight and 2 a.m.

(Minghui.org) Between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. on January 11, 2022, the authorities in Shenze County, Hebei Province dispatched heavy police forces to round up local Falun Gong practitioners. The arrests of at least 17 practitioners have been confirmed at the time of writing.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

The arrests were ordered by the Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau that has jurisdiction over Shenze County. Li Lixin, the head of Shenze County Police Department, personally orchestrated the operation.

According to officers who participated in the arrests, they received orders beforehand for an upcoming operation at night, but no details were given. The authorities took away all of their cellphones, before revealing that it was to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. Some armed officers were also dispatched for the arrests.

When practitioners living in multi-story houses refused to open the door for the police, they broke in. For practitioners who live in single-story houses, the officers didn’t even bother to knock on the door, and they directly scaled their front fence and broke in. The police conducted meticulous searches at the practitioners’ homes, including all rooms, storage rooms and closets. Their Falun Gong books, photos of Falun Gong’s founder, Falun Gong informational materials, computers, printers and copy paper were taken away. The items confiscated from some practitioners filled up several cars.

The 17 practitioners are: Ms. Zhang Yingjuan, Ms. He Xiuling, Ms. Hui Xin, Mr. Ma Tongxin, Ms. Jiao Yaqin and her husband Mr. Ji Feng, Ms. He Hongyan and her husband Mr. Liu Baoxing, Ms. Liu Haiqin, Ms. Liu Yuru, Mr. Li Wu, Ms. He Erli, Ms. Liu Xiao Miao, Shufen (last name unknown), Ms. Qin Ru, Mr. Du Guofang and Ms. Tian Xuan. Ms. He Xiuling was released on bail on January 14 due to high blood pressure.

Below are some details of the arrests.

A group of seven officers scaled the fence and broke into Mr. Ma Tongxin’s home after midnight and confiscated his Falun Gong materials and computer. His family was ordered to sign his case document at the Chengguan Town Police Station, but wasn’t allowed to visit him.

Mr. Ji Feng and his wife Ms. Jiao Yaqin were arrested at around 12 a.m. by officers of Zhaobaxiang Police Station. Their Falun Gong materials and computers were taken away. Their family was also ordered to sign their case documents at the police station.

Another married couple, Ms. He Hongyan and Mr. Liu Baoxing, were arrested by officers of the Shenze County Police Station. Their Falun Gong books and other belongings were taken away.

Six officers from Tiegan Police Station broke into Mr. Du Guofang’s home at midnight and confiscated his cellphone, computer, printer and farming machine. The police also went to his food factory and warehouse at 2:30 p.m. on January 12, and confiscated his Falun Gong books and other belongings, without the presence of his family members.

Perpetrators’ contact information:
Li Lixin (李立新), head of Shenze County Police DepartmentCao Yahui (曹亚辉), head of Tiegan Police Station: [phone]Tan Yongzhan (谭永占), deputy head of Tiegan Police Station: [phone]Bai Yunfei (白云飞), officer of Tiegan Police Station: [phone]Di Liqi (邸立起), officer of Shenze County Police Station: [phone]