84-year-old Woman Arrested and Had Her Home Ransacked

(Minghui.org) Led by the residential committee staff members, a group of police officers descended at 84-year-old Ms. Liao Yuying’s home on April 21, 2022.

The Maoming City, Guangdong Province resident living on her own was targeted for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. 

As Ms. Liao refused to let the police in, they broke in by prying open her door with pliers. They searched her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books, photo of Falun Gong’s founder, and some paper currency printed with information about Falun Gong (as a way to raise awareness about the persecution given the strict censorship in China). 

Two other practitioners, including Ms. Mai Weilian who worked as an aide to Ms. Liao, and another guest, Ms. Deng Yulian, were both arrested. Another elderly woman (name unknown), who doesn’t practice Falun Gong but happened to be visiting Ms. Liao, was arrested as well.

After some police officers brought the four women away, some stayed and changed the lock on Ms. Liao’s home. 

At 5 p.m., one officer returned with a residential committee staff member and searched Ms. Liao’s home again and confiscated more Falun Gong related items, including a piece of artwork she had on the wall and her exercise suit. According to her neighbors, the police loaded several bags and a big box with items confiscated from her. “They are just robbers!” said her neighbors. 

Ms. Liao and the woman who doesn’t practice Falun Gong were released in the evening. But the police never provided a list of items confiscated from her. 

Ms. Mai was released after approximately two weeks of detention. It’s not clear whether Ms. Deng has been released at the time of writing.

Past Persecution of Ms. Liao

Before taking up Falun Gong, Ms. Liao suffered from a severe stomach condition for over twenty years. She had to be very careful about what she ate. She tried many medications, but none worked for her. Shortly after she took up Falun Gong in 1998, her condition disappeared without her noticing it. She has remained healthy for the past 24 years.

Since the communist regime ordered the persecution in 1999, Ms. Liao has been repeatedly arrested and detained for upholding her faith. Her family also lived in fear and constantly worried about her safety. 

In June 2000, Ms. Liao went to Beijing to appeal for the right to practice Falun Gong. She was taken back to Maoming by agents of the 610 Office and held at the Dianbai No. 2 Detention Center for 15 days. 

She went to Beijing to appeal again in November 2000 and was arrested the second time. After being taken back by the 610 Office agents, she was given two years of forced labor. She was first held at the Dianbai No. 2 Detention Center for 11 months and then taken to the Sanshui Forced Labor Camp. 

Because Ms. Liao refused to watch videos demonizing Falun Gong, the labor camp guards tortured her and caused her to suffer dangerously high blood pressure. Fearing that she would die in custody, the guards released her, after four months at the labor camp.

Ms. Liao was arrested again in the summer of 2003 and held at the Maoming City Brainwashing Center for a week. 

For talking to people about Falun Gong at a tourist site in 2004, Ms. Liao was reported to the police and then arrested. She was released in the evening when her family went to the police station to demand her release. 

On November 13, 2017, Wu Bo, the deputy chief of Daya Police Station, brought four officers to knock on Ms. Liao’s door. As no one came to open the door ten minutes later, the police tore down the couplets with information about Falun Gong on her door. Ms. Liao came out to stop the police, but to no avail. 

Upon hearing the noise, many of the neighbors came over to check the situation. They condemned the police for bullying the elderly woman. One neighbor said to the police, “Why do you come to make trouble for her again? She is the best among us.” Another one said, “How did her putting up the couplets affect you?” Unable to refute them, the police then blamed Ms. Liao for being against the Communist Party by putting up the couplets.

Led by Lu Shanghui, the head of Dianbai District Domestic Security Office, at least ten officers broke into Ms. Liao’s home on July 9, 2019. Ms. Mai and another practitioner Ms. Huang Yinglian who was there to care for Ms. Liao were also arrested. 

The police searched every corner of Ms. Liao’s home and confiscated her many Falun Gong books. Before the police left, one more practitioner, Ms. Cui Fen, came to visit Ms. Liao and was arrested as well. 

While the police soon released the practitioners, Lu refused to return Ms. Liao’s Falun Gong books when she and Ms. Huang went to the police station on July 11 to ask for them. Lu shouted at them and threatened to handcuff them if they didn’t leave.

Ms. Liao was arrested again on August 12, 2021 for talking to people about Falun Gong. The police ransacked her home and took away her Falun Gong books and informational materials. She was released at 9 p.m. that day.