Additional Persecution News from China – March 23, 2023 (16 Reports)

(Minghui.org) Today’s news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 14 cities or counties in 10 provinces, where at least 24 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Multiple Practitioners Arrested
2. [Guiyang City, Guizhou Province] Mr. Li Lin Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
3. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Mr. Feng Xiaoben Arrested
4. [Xianning City, Hubei Province] Ms. Tao Xizhen Arrested
5. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Wang Zhongguo Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
6. [Yushu City, Jilin Province] Mr. Chen Yaohui and Chang Yanjie Harassed
7. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Ms. Duan Lijing Arrested
8. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Qi Shujie Arrested
9. [Dongying City, Shandong Province] Zhong Siping Arrested
10. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Mr. Wang Yuanyi Arrested
11. [Lanzhou City, Gansu Province] Mr. Chen Deguang Held in Detention Center
12. [Gao’an City, Jiangxi Province] Mr. Chen Hongmao Harassed
13. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Zhang Xiaolan Detained
14. [Fuyang City, Anhui Province] Ms. Zhu Arrested
15. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Niu Yan and Song Arrested
16. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Qiu Renying and Her Sister Ms. Qiu Yuanxiang Return Home

1. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Multiple Practitioners Arrested

Officers from the anti-(slanderous term deleted) team of the Jinzhou City Police Department, Linghe District Domestic Security Division, and the Zijing Police Station recently monitored, followed, and arrested several practitioners. Practitioners known to have been arrested included Ms. Ma Zhiru, Ms. Wang Yinghua, Ms. Dai Xiuhua, and Mr. Wang Jingzhong.

Three female officers and over ten male officers from the Linghe District Police Department and a subordinate police station broke into Ms. Ma Zhiru’s home at around 4 p.m. on February 15, 2023, and violently dragged her outside. Two female officers each held one of her arms, and the other female officer video-recorded her from her home all the way to the street before they pushed her into a police car.

Mr. Wang Jingzhong was arrested in his vegetable greenhouse in Wentun Village, Taihe District at around 8 p.m. on March 9.

Ms. Wang Yinghua was arrested on March 10.

Ms. Dai Xiuhua from the Guta District was arrested by officers from the Zijing Police Station on March 12. On the same day, six or seven officers took Ms. Dai to Ms. Zhang Liyan’s home in Zhongtun Village, Shiying Sub-district. They confiscated a laptop computer, Falun Gong books, and photos of the founder of Falun Gong.

On March 12, the officers broke into Ms. Yi Chunyan’s home in Shilitai Village, Taihe District. They came to arrest her, but she was not home at the time, and was not arrested.

Ms. Ma, Ms. Wang, and Ms. Dai are being held in the Jinzhou City Women’s Detention Center. Mr. Wang is being held in the Jinzhou City Detention Center.

2. [Guiyang City, Guizhou Province] Mr. Li Lin Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Mr. Li Lin was reported to the police for telling people about Falun Gong and was arrested in July 2021. It was recently reported that Mr. Li was sentenced to five years in prison. He is currently appealing the sentence.

This is the third time that Mr. Li was sentenced. He had been given a total of 13 years in prison when he was twice previously sentenced.

3. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Mr. Feng Xiaoben Arrested

Mr. Feng Xiaoben, 80, from the High-tech Zone, told a person about Falun Gong on the morning of February 26, 2023. The person said that he was a plainclothes officer, and took Mr. Feng to the Liyuan Police Station.

Mr. Feng was held at the police station for a day before the officers took him to a detention center.

On the morning of February 27, Weifang Special Police joined the police station in ransacking Mr. Feng’s home. None of his relatives or friends were allowed to stay at the scene during the ransacking. Many items were confiscated, and further details are pending.

4. [Xianning City, Hubei Province] Ms. Tao Xizhen Arrested

Five or six officers broke into Ms. Tao Xizhen’s home at around 8 a.m. on March 17, 2023. Two officers held Ms. Tao’s arms, and another officer video-recorded her from behind. Ms. Tao was arrested. It is not known where she is being held.

5. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Wang Zhongguo Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

It was recently reported that Mr. Wang Zhongguo from Xiaogou Village, Jianye Township, Linghai City, was sentenced to two years in prison before Chinese New Year’s Day, January 22, 2023. He is incarcerated in Jinzhou Prison.

6. [Yushu City, Jilin Province] Mr. Chen Yaohui and Chang Yanjie Harassed

Officers from the Yujia Town Police Station led by security director Zhang Wenlong in Zhonghe Village, Xiangyang Town, went to the homes of Mr. Chen Yaohui and Chang Yanjie (gender unknown) to photograph and collect saliva samples from the two practitioners.

7. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Ms. Duan Lijing Arrested

Ms. Duan Lijing, in her 50s, an English teacher, was arrested around February 28, 2023.

More than 20 years ago, the authorities did not follow any administrative or legal procedure and terminated her salary and dismissed her from public office, just because she practiced Falun Gong.

8. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Qi Shujie Arrested

Taipingling Village security director and team leader in Sanbao Township, Nong’an County, along with police officers, went to practitioners’ homes to photograph them and collect saliva samples. Qi Shujie (gender unknown) refused to cooperate. She was arrested and taken to a detention center. Further details are not yet available.

9. [Dongying City, Shandong Province] Zhong Siping Arrested

Chief An Maosheng of Jidi Police Department in the Shengli Oilfield and about four other officers waited in a car parked not far from Zhong Siping’s car at around 8:30 a.m. on March 21. When Zhong came out to drive to work in the morning, they rushed out, and handcuffed and arrested Zhong. They took Zhong’s key, and ransacked Zhong’s home.

They confiscated Zhong’s car, three cell phones, one desktop computer, two older notebook computers that were not used, two printers, every Falun Gong book they found, and other related items.

Zhong was released at around 12 o’clock that night, and was instructed to go to the police station whenever asked.

10. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Mr. Wang Yuanyi Arrested

Mr. Wang Yuanyi, 70, is a public sanitation worker who lives in Tianyi Village, Fangzhen Town, Zhangdian District. He was handcuffed and arrested by officers in police uniforms, who drove a police car, when he was working in Shiji Garden in early March 2023.

11. [Lanzhou City, Gansu Province] Mr. Chen Deguang Held in Detention Center

Mr. Chen Deguang was arrested at home by officers from the Haishiwan Town Police Station on the afternoon of March 20, 2023. Mr. Chen is being held in the detention center in Haishiwan Town.

12. [Gao’an City, Jiangxi Province] Mr. Chen Hongmao Harassed

When Mr. Chen Hongmao was reading the Falun Gong teachings at home, seven or eight officers broke in. One female officer was holding a pair of handcuffs. As soon as they entered his home, they told Mr. Chen that Falun Gong is a (slanderous term deleted) and that distributing Falun Gong materials was illegal.

These people searched around, and confiscated Mr. Chen’s cell phone and five photos of the founder of Falun Gong. They confiscated four sets of Falun Gong books, ten copies of Zhuan Falun, six or seven Falun Gong books (not a full set), CDs of Falun Gong lectures given in various places, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, The Ultimate Goal of Communism, other printed materials, laptop computers, and various electronic devices for studying the Fa. Every item related to Falun Gong was confiscated. They even thoroughly examined Mr. Chen’s albums of collected coins, bank deposit certificates, and receipts.

Afterwards, the officers took Mr. Chen and his wife to the Chengbei Police Station. They intimidated and questioned the couple, and transcribed their answers. The couple did not return home until after 5 p.m. that afternoon.

13. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Zhang Xiaolan Detained

Ms. Zhang Xiaolan was arrested by officers from the Jinshan Police Station in Meijiang District in February 2023. She was detained for five days, from February 15 to February 20.

Ms. Zhang was sentenced to one year of forced labor in 2010.

14. [Fuyang City, Anhui Province] Ms. Zhu Arrested

Ms. Zhu, in her 70s, from Yingquan District was arrested by officers from the Quanhe Police Station or the Quanying Police Station in Yingquan District on March 21, 2023.

15. [Benxi City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Niu Yan and Song Arrested

Ms. Niu Yan and Song (name and gender unknown) were followed, arrested, and their homes were ransacked around March 17, 2023, for distributing Falun Gong materials. Song was released. Ms. Niu remains in custody.

16. [Meizhou City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Qiu Renying and Her Sister Ms. Qiu Yuanxiang Released from Prison

Ms. Qiu Renying and her sister Ms. Qiu Yuanxiang from Xingning City were arrested on September 8, 2020. They were each sentenced to two and a half years in prison. They returned home on March 7, 2023.