As the Chinese New Year Draws Near, Keep Falun Gong Practitioners That Are Still Incarcerated in Our Thoughts

(Minghui.org) As the 2023 Chinese New Year is arriving this Sunday (January 22), at least 30 Falun Gong practitioners in Tangshan City, Hebei Province are still incarcerated in various prisons and detention centers for upholding their faith.

Separated from the outside world by the high walls, they are unable to reunite with their families during the holiday but are facing constant torture and abuse for their faith. Just like the plum blossoms that brave the toughest winters, we hope they can persevere through the persecution and be released soon.

Below are the practitioners who are still detained.

Tangshan City

- Mr. Bian Lichao, a teacher of the No.11 Middle School of Tangshan, was arrested on February 25, 2012, and sentenced to 12 years in July 2012. He has been held at the Shijiazhuang Prison since January 11, 2013.

- Mr. Lai Zhiqiang was arrested on March 31, 2016, and later sentenced to seven years in the Jidong No. 4 Prison.

- Mr. Chen Lin was arrested on July 3, 2019, and sentenced to five years.

- Mr. Sun Li was arrested on May 31, 2020, and sentenced to nine years at the Jidong No.2 Prison.

- Mr. Liu Weili was arrested on August 12, 2020, and sentenced to nine years with a 30,000 yuan fine by the Luannan County Court. He was taken to a local prison on January 15, 2022.

- Ms. Liu Lili was arrested on March 20, 2021. She was sentenced to 5.5 years at the Tangshan No.1 Detention Center without a trial.

- Ms. Guo Yanju was arrested on May 12, 2021. She is now held at the Tangshan City No.1 Detention Center and facing indictment.

- Ms. Sun Baifeng was also arrested on May 12, 2021, and held at the Tangshan City No.1 Detention Center, facing indictment.

- Ms. Wang Yaxin was arrested on July 7, 2022, and held at the Tangshan City No.1 Detention Center. She has been indicted and is facing trial by the Lubei District Court.

Yutian County

- Mr. Bian Changxue was arrested on January 5, 2016. He was sentenced to eight years in Jidong No.1 Prison and fined 20,000 yuan.

- Mr. Liu Shangzhu was arrested on May 12, 2021, and sentenced to three years and two months in the Jidong No.4 Prison, with an 8,000-yuan fine.

Kaiping District

- Mr. Tian Shisheng and his wife Ms. Tian Shulan were arrested on July 3, 2019. Mr. Tian was sentenced to seven years at Jidong No.4 Prison and Ms. Tian to five years at the Hebei Province Women’s Prison.

Zunhua City

More than 300 officers were dispatched at 3 a.m. on July 6, 2019, to arrest over 30 practitioners. Twelve of them were sentenced to two to eight years in Hebei Province Women’s Prison and Jidong Prison. Nine of them are still serving time at the time of writing.

- Ms. Wang Ruiling, 68, was sentenced to eight years and fined 10,000 yuan.

- Mr. Zhang Yuming, 65, was sentenced to seven years and fined 6,000 yuan.

- Mr. Wang Jian, 70, was sentenced to seven years and fined 5,000 yuan.

- Ms. Tian Shuxue, 81, was sentenced to five and a half years and fined 6,000 yuan.

- Mr. Ma Kuo, 68, was sentenced to five years and fined 5,000 yuan.

- Ms. Sheng Jinling, 59, was sentenced to four years and ten months, with a 4,500 yuan fine.

Ms. Lin Xiuzhen, 65, was sentenced to four years and ten months, with a 4,000 yuan fine.

- Mr. Zhang Qin, 78, was sentenced to four and a half years and fined 5,000 yuan.

- Ms. Guo Shuhuan, 59, was sentenced to three years and ten months, with a 3,500-yuan fine.

Fengrun District

- Ms. Xiao Huijun was arrested on June 18, 2020, and sentenced to three years. She was taken to the Hebei Province Women’s Prison on February 18, 2022.

- Ms. Wang Xiuhong was arrested on June 18, 2020, and sentenced to three years with a 3,000 yuan fine. She was taken to the Hebei Province Women’s Prison on January 22, 2022.

- Mr. Wei Guoshen was arrested on June 18, 2020, and sentenced to three years and eight months, with a 5,000-yuan fine. He was taken to the Jidong Prison on January 22, 2022.

- Mr. Sun Jianzhong was arrested on July 22, 2020, and sentenced to 2.5 years.

- Ms. Zhang Zhilan was arrested on August 12, 2020, and sentenced to 7.5 years with a 20,000 yuan fine.

Fengnan District

- Mr. Zuo Desheng was arrested on August 12, 2020. He was later sentenced to two years with a 4,000 yuan fine. He was taken into custody on January 15, 2022.

Qian’an City

- Ms. Wen Qingfang was arrested on August 1, 2022, while grocery shopping. She was indicted in early October 2022 and is facing trial by the Qian’an City Court.

Leting County

- Ms. Zhang Cuiying was arrested on September 13, 2022, for talking to people about Falun Gong. She is now detained at the Tangshan City No.1 Detention Center and facing prosecution.