Additional Persecution News from China – March 17, 2023 (20 Reports)

(Minghui.org) Today’s news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 16 cities or counties in 11 provinces, where at least 28 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Boxin Faces Trial
2. [Beijing] Ms. Li Shufang Held in Custody for Over Six Months
3. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Liang Lixin Held in Detention Center
4. [Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Yongmei Passes Away Due to Persecution
5. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Xie Hankui Arrested
6. [Xiangtan City, Hunan Province] Mr. Yang Shiyi Arrested Again
7. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Ms. Qiu Yuanwen Detained
8. [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Li Yujie Held in Detention Center
9. [Jinan City, Shandong Province] Ms. Ma Yunxia Held in Detention Center
10. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Ms. Li Hongxiang Arrested
11. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Sun Xiucheng Arrested
12. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Ms. Ma Kuihua Detained for 10 Days
13. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Ms. Xu Shuyun Tortured in Detention Center; Ms. Liu Huanfeng Detained
14. [Siping City, Jilin Province] Sun Hongwei Tried
15. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Xie Jinfang Detained
16. [Leshan City, Sichuan Province] Three Practitioners’ Homes Ransacked
17. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Qi Enxiang’s Retirement Salary Withheld
18. [Wuhan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Yu and Ms. Xie Arrested
19. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Mr. Miao Zhongjun Held in Custody; His Mother Passes Away
20. [Zhuolu County, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Arrested

1. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Boxin Faces Trial

A group of officers from the Sujiatuo Police Station in Haidian District broke into the home of 60-year-old, disabled Ms. Liu Boxin, and ransacked it at 6 a.m. on July 14, 2022. They confiscated a computer, a printer, Falun Gong books, and more than 10,000 yuan in cash. Ms. Liu was released on bail due to her physical condition.

One month later the officers again arrested Ms. Liu from her home. She was subsequently released on bail again due to her physical condition.

In November 2022, Ms. Liu was summoned by the Haidian District Procuratorate. On February 16, 2023, the court notified her of the trial schedule, which was postponed for some reason. The court notified again that at 2 p.m. on March 23, she would be tried in the Shanhou Court of the Haidian District.

During the annual meetings of the People’s National Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March, Ms. Liu was placed under residential surveillance with people keeping an eye on her around the clock.

2. [Beijing] Ms. Li Shufang Held in Custody for Over Six Months

Ms. Li Shufang has been held by the Taihu Police Station for over six months since September 1, 2022. Her family has not seen her so far.

3. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Liang Lixin Held in Detention Center

Liang Lixi was arrested by four officers from the Guilin Road Police Station in the Chaoyang District. Liang’s home was ransacked. Liang had previously been sentenced to prison. This time, Liang refused to write a guarantee statement renouncing Falun Gong or sign any paperwork. Liang was taken directly to the Jiutai Detention Center and then transferred to the Changchun City Detention Center.

4. [Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Yongmei Passes Away Due to Persecution

Ms. Zhang Yongmei, from Xiaoshihe Village, Muling Town, was arrested and taken to the Bamiantong Detention Center in 2001. She went on a hunger strike for 30 days in the detention center. It was not until her life was in imminent danger and the police were afraid of being held responsible, that they notified her family members to take her home in the middle of the night.

In 2008, Ms. Zhang was followed for more than a year for producing Falun Gong materials. The officers arrested her, her husband and son, ransacked their home and confiscated 2,600 yuan in cash that the family had just earned from grain sales. In the detention center, Ms. Zhang went on a hunger strike for more than 30 days to protest the persecution. She was later taken to a labor camp, which refused to accept her due to her poor health. She was taken back to be detained locally for more than 10 days. It was during this period that she was fed unknown drugs. When she returned home, she was emaciated and could not eat.

Ms. Zhang passed away on April 22, 2019, at the age of 60.

5. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Xie Hankui Arrested

Mr. Xie Hankui was arrested on his way to work by the Meijiang District police on the morning of February 24, 2023. The officers ransacked his home and confiscated dozens of Falun Gong books, a laptop, and other items. Mr. Xie was released that day.

Mr. Xie was again arrested on the morning of February 27. He was then placed under criminal detention. On March 13, he was officially placed under arrest.

Mr. Xie was arrested in the first half of 2002 and taken to a brainwashing center run by the Yuemei Detention Center in Meijiang District. In recent years, he has been harassed on numerous occasions.

6. [Xiangtan City, Hunan Province] Mr. Yang Shiyi Arrested Again

Mr. Yang Shiyi, in his 60s, was arrested at home by officers from the Yuntang Police Station, Yuhu District, on February 20, 2023. The officers ransacked his home and confiscated a computer, printed materials, and paper bills with Falun Gong facts printed on them. Mr. Yang is being held in the Xiangtan City Detention Center.

Mr. Yang was once taken to a forced labor camp and twice sentenced to prison, for a total of 15 years. He is now deprived of his retirement pension and has difficulty making a living. After he was imprisoned for years his wife divorced him.

7. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] Ms. Qiu Yuanwen Detained

Ms. Qiu Yuanwen from the No. 7 Branch Factory of Hongguang Farm, in Qianguo County, was reported to the police for telling people about Falun Gong on March 15, 2023. Ms. Qiu was subsequently arrested by officers from the Zhenjiao Police Station in Qianguo County. At 3 p.m. that afternoon, four men and one woman drove Ms. Qiu to her home in a police car. Bai Fuxiang, the deputy director of the No. 7 Branch Factory accompanied the officers and gave them directions to her home. They ransacked it. They confiscated a paper bill with Falun Gong facts printed on it and an audio player. The second time the officers ransacked her home, they confiscated two old magnetic tapes and two gourds. Ms. Qiu is being held in the Qianguo County Detention Center for 10 days.

8. [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Li Yujie Held in Detention Center

Li Yujie from Heping District was recently arrested and is being held in the Zaohua Detention Center.

9. [Jinan City, Shandong Province] Ms. Ma Yunxia Held in Detention Center

Ms. Ma Yunxia from the Kuangshan Residential Community, Huaiyin District, went to Wujiapu market to distribute Falun Gong materials in June 2022. She was tracked on her way home by surveillance cameras. Officers from the Kuangshan Community Police Station ransacked her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books. She was placed under residential surveillance.

Ms. Ma disappeared in early March 2023. The police recently notified her son that she was being held in the Jinan City Detention Center.

10. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Ms. Li Hongxiang Arrested

Four plainclothes officers broke into Ms. Li Hongxiang’s home at 8 a.m. on February 15, 2023. They pushed and dragged Ms. Li, and took her directly to the hospital, where they violently carried out various examinations on her.

Ms. Li failed the physical examination. They took her to the Xiguan Police Station and locked her up. That afternoon the officers took her to the police department and told her to fingerprint paperwork, which she refused. They put her into the car and took her back to the police station.

The officers violently forced Ms. Li to press her fingerprints on the paperwork. Then they twisted Ms. Li’s arms behind her back, put on handcuffs, and said they would take her to a detention center.

11. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Sun Xiucheng Arrested

Ms. Sun Xiucheng was arrested by four officers from the Shihuiyao Police Station, in the Zhifu District, on the morning of March 16, 2023. That morning the officers returned to her home and attempted to ransack the place, but they failed as Ms. Sun and her family refused to cooperate. Ms. Sun returned home around 1 p.m. that day.

12. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Ms. Ma Kuihua Detained for 10 Days

Ms. Ma Kuihua was reported to the police for telling people about Falun Gong. She was arrested and held in the Qingdun Reservoir Detention Center, in Zhucheng City, for 10 days. She returned home on March 13, 2023.

13. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Ms. Xu Shuyun Tortured in Detention Center; Ms. Liu Huanfeng Detained

Ms. Xu Shuyun from Bajilei Township was arrested at home by officers from the Bajilei Township Police Station in early March 2023. She was held in the Nong’an County Detention Center, where she was tortured. According to insiders, Ms. Xu was tortured to the brink of death when the officers dragged her down the stairs.

Ms. Liu Huanfeng from Kaoshan Township was arrested at home by officers from the Kaoshan Township Police Station on March 11, 2023. She was held in the Nong’an County Detention Center for five days.

14. [Siping City, Jilin Province] Sun Hongwei Tried

Sun Hongwei was caught on surveillance cameras for posting Falun Gong materials and was later arrested. Sun’s case was brought to the Yitong Court by Siping Procuratorate. Sun was tried at 9 a.m. on March 16, 2023.

15. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Xie Jinfang Detained

Mr. Xie Jinfang from Yanyang Town, Mei County, was arrested by officers from the Mei County Domestic Security Division and the Yanyang Town Police Station on the morning of March 1, 2023. He was held in the Xinjian Detention Center in Chengdong Town and returned home on March 11.

16. [Leshan City, Sichuan Province] Three Practitioners’ Homes Ransacked

Four police officers and two community management staff members in Qianwei County broke into the homes of Ms. Fan Huiying, Mr. Yu Faquan, and Mr. Wang Yufu and ransacked them around 7:30 p.m. on March 3, 2023. They confiscated Ms. Fan’s nine Falun Gong books, more than 100 USB flash drives, dozens of amulets, and a laptop computer.

Then they confiscated from Mr. Yu’s home many Falun Gong books, six printers, a large number of supplies, a laptop computer, and other items. They ransacked Mr. Wang’s home and found nothing.

The three practitioners were taken to the Qianwei County Police Department, where they were held for nearly 24 hours before being released. They were placed under residential surveillance.

17. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Qi Enxiang’s Retirement Salary Withheld

Ms. Qi Enxiang was reported to the police for telling people about Falun Gong and was arrested by officers from the Jilin Street Police Station. After the physical examination, Ms. Qi was rejected by the detention center due to her high blood pressure.

The police officers told Ms. Qi to report to the police station every day. Ms. Qi is a widow. She had been sentenced to three years in prison, and her retirement salary has been withheld.

Ms. Zhang Hong was arrested, and further details are yet to be gathered.

18. [Wuhan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Yu and Ms. Xie Arrested

Ms. Yu, in her 60s, and Ms. Xie, in her 70s, from the Panlongcheng area in Huangpi District were arrested on March 3, 2023. It is currently unknown where the two practitioners are being held.

19. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Mr. Miao Zhongjun Held in Custody; His Mother Passes Away

Mr. Miao Zhongjun from Xincheng District was arrested on July 25, 2022. His mother, Ms. Li Fenghua, often suffered from insomnia because she missed her son. She was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was bedridden. She passed away at noon on March 13, 2023. Her husband is 97 years old.

20. [Zhuolu County, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Arrested

Ms. Ma Yingmei, Ms. Chen Yulian, and Ms. Tang Guifang were reported to the police by a person in Jiejieliang Village, Dongxiaozhuang Town, on March 13, 2023. They were arrested by officer Sun Yuanping from the Dongxiaozhuang Town Police Station.

Around that time, village officials led officers from the Zhangjiabao Town Police Station to break into Ms. Ma’s home and they ransacked the place. The officers confiscated all her Falun Gong books, photos of the founder of Falun Gong, and cash in her wallet. Ms. Chen’s home in the county’s downtown area was ransacked. Ms. Tang’s home in Beiguan Village was also ransacked. The three practitioners’ bicycles were confiscated.

All three returned home when it was getting dark that day.