Additional Persecution News from China – May 23, 2023 (25 Reports)

(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 23 cities or counties in 10 provinces, where at least 44 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Qingyang City, Gansu Province] Ms. Zhang Ping Sentenced to Six Years in Prison
2. [Chongqing] Mr. Dai Xianming Develops Health Problems Due to Abuse in Prison
3. [Fuzhou City, Fujian Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced to Prison
4. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Gong Shuying Held in Detention Center
5. [Beijing] Yang Zuomei Arrested
6. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Zhao Xiping Held in Detention Center
7. [Xinbin County, Liaoning Province] Ms. Sun Yanping Held in Detention Center
8. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Li Guihua Held in Detention Center
9. [Maoming City, Guangdong Province] 85-year-old Ms. Liao Yuying Threatened
10. [Hefei City, Anhui Province] Four Practitioners Arrested
11. [Yanggu County, Shandong Province] Mr. Wang Fuliang and Wife Ms. Zhao Gecun Held in Prison for Four Years
12. [Baoji City, Shaanxi Province] Three Practitioners Arrested
13. [Chongqing] Mr. Ren Dongchuan Monitored and Harassed
14. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Ms. Sun Shuqing Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
15. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Liu Hongfeng Arrested
16. [Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Mou Caiying Arrested
17. [Huayin City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Du’s Whereabouts Unknown
18. [Shulan City, Jilin Province] Four Practitioners Arrested
19. [Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhao Yaxian’s Pension Suspended
20. [Longyao County, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Arrested
21. [Yilan County, Heilongjiang Province] Bai Hongyou and Zhu Deshan Face Trial
22. [Qian’an City, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Harassed
23. [Tianjin] Ms. Liu Yaming Forced to Sign Paperwork
24. [Liaocheng City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Mingsen Abused in Prison
25. [Hefei City, Anhui Province] Ms. Wu Jingqing Arrested

1. [Qingyang City, Gansu Province] Ms. Zhang Ping Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

Ms. Zhang Ping from Qingcheng County was sentenced to six years in prison by the Zhenyuan County Court. She is held in the Ning County Detention Center.

2. [Chongqing] Mr. Dai Xianming Develops Health Problems Due to Abuse in Prison

At noon on May 22, 2023, Mr. Dai Xianming’s wife, Ms. Xu Keqin, received a letter from Mr. Dai, who was in prison. She recognized his handwriting on the envelope. But the words in the letter were not written by him. The message in the letter was: “Blood sugar is not stable. The family needs to send in 1,000 to 2,000 yuan via the post office to the prison for supplemental nutrition and daily necessities.”

Before he was imprisoned, Mr. Dai was in good health. On May 18, Ms. Xu went to Yongchuan Prison to deposit money for him, but she did not get to see him. Now it seems that Mr. Dai was persecuted to the extent that it is difficult for him to even write a letter.

3. [Fuzhou City, Fujian Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced to Prison

Mawei District Court sentenced Ms. Chen Xue to three years in prison, Ms. Weng Meichai to two and a half years, and Ms. Huang Bixian to two years.

4. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Gong Shuying Held in Detention Center

When elderly Mr. Wang Ligong went downstairs, he was caught by plainclothes officers from the Nanhu Police Station on the afternoon of May 18, 2023. The officers took his keys, opened the door, and arrested Mr. Wang and his wife Ms. Gong Shuying. They also ransacked the couple’s home and confiscated dozens of Falun Gong books, three computers, three printers, printed materials, and copies of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.

The couple was held at the police station for two days. During that time, they were taken to a major hospital in Jilin Province and Changchun City Hospital for physical examinations.

They both failed the physical examination. The police planned to take them to a third hospital for examination. Later, when time ran out, the police released Mr. Wang after collecting 3,000 yuan from him on the grounds of covering the couple’s physical examinations and two days of living expenses. Ms. Gong was held in the Xinglongshan Detention Center.

5. [Beijing] Yang Zuomei Arrested

Yang Zuomei, who works on the Tsinghua University campus, was arrested. Further details are not clear.

6. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Zhao Xiping Held in Detention Center

Ms. Zhao Xiping from Heiyangshan Village, Shahe Town, Laizhou City, was reported to the police while talking to people about Falun Gong at the Huibu Town farmers market on the morning of May 11, 2023. The officers confiscated 2,000 to 3,000 yuan in paper currency with information about Falun Gong printed on them as well as the printed materials she carried. She is being held in the Chengyang Detention Center in Pingdu City.

Around 10:30 that morning, eight officers drove to Ms. Zhao’s home, entered through the window, and ransacked the place. They kicked open the door to her room and confiscated her son’s computer and printer, over 90 Falun Gong books, weekly newspapers, calendar cards, and supplies.

The officers turned the house into a mess and removed the satellite dish on the roof of the single-story house.

7. [Xinbin County, Liaoning Province] Ms. Sun Yanping Held in Detention Center

Ms. Zhu Rongfang and Ms. Sun Yanping were arrested by officers from the Xinbin Town Police Station on the evening of May 19, 2023. Ms. Zhu was photographed and fingerprinted. She was released due to her old age. Ms. Sun was held in the detention center.

8. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Li Guihua Held in Detention Center

Ms. Li Guihua and Gao Zuokui from Lianshan District went to Nanfeng Village, Si’erbao Town on March 17, 2022, to distribute Falun Gong materials, and were reported to the police by villagers. They were arrested and placed under criminal detention. Due to the pandemic, they were instead placed under residential surveillance that day.

They were officially placed under arrest by Huludao City Police Department on February 16, 2023. They are being held in Huludao City Detention Center.

On April 12, Lianshan District Procuratorate brought charges against Ms. Li and turned her case over to Lianshan District Court.

On April 28, Lianshan District Court sentenced Ms. Li to three years and six months in prison and fined her 10,000 yuan. Ms. Li refused to accept the sentence and has appealed to Huludao City Intermediate Court.

9. [Maoming City, Guangdong Province] 85-year-old Ms. Liao Yuying Threatened

Two officers from the Lintou Police Station in Dianbai District went to 85-year-old Ms. Liao Yuying’s home to harass her after 3 p.m. on May 17, 2023. Ms. Liao was sleeping at the time, and they left.

On the morning of May 18, the political head of the police station and an officer knocked on Ms. Liao’s door. They asked Ms. Liao to open the door so that they could take pictures of her. She refused to open it. The political head was very aggressive, saying they had confiscated a lot of Falun Gong books from her home and would come to her home every month.

He also said that Ms. Liao was “released on bail” and could not practice the Falun Gong exercises at home, or she would be arrested. Then the officer called the director, who arrived promptly. The three of them left after discussing among themselves. Afterwards, Ms. Liao was upset, and did not eat or sleep well.

10. [Hefei City, Anhui Province] Four Practitioners Arrested

Zhang Yueneng, Chang Fengxian, and Zhang Xiuying were arrested around the same time on April 13, 2021, by officers from the Xinglin Police Station in Luyang District. Their homes were ransacked. They were taken to the police station for interrogation. Ms. Chang was detained and later held in a brainwashing center.

The three practitioners were arrested for being associated with over 2,000 paper bills with Falun Gong facts printed on them, which the police had confiscated in February 2021 from another practitioner, Ms. Zhang Rongfang. Ms. Zhang was body searched on the high-speed railway when accompanying her granddaughter to a university in Nanjing.

11. [Yanggu County, Shandong Province] Mr. Wang Fuliang and Wife Ms. Zhao Gecun Held in Prison for Four Years

Mr. Wang Fuliang and his wife Ms. Zhao Gecun from Ziludi Village, Jindouying Town, were arrested four years ago when they were displaced. They were sentenced to four years in prison. Ms. Zhao returned home, but Mr. Wang has not yet returned.

12. [Baoji City, Shaanxi Province] Three Practitioners Arrested

Fei Guizhen, Fei Nianxi, and Liang Duoduo from Fufeng County were arrested and taken to Baoji City on May 18, 2023.

13. [Chongqing] Mr. Ren Dongchuan Monitored and Harassed

Two officers from the Xipeng Town Police Station in Jiulongpo District knocked on the door of Mr. Ren Dongchuan’s home on April 25, 2023. Mr. Ren talked to them from inside the door and told them to file a request to remove the surveillance camera outside his door that monitored him.

The township government installed surveillance cameras in front of Mr. Ren’s home nearly three years ago. The cameras were repaired. The small cameras which were initially installed were replaced with larger ones.

14. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Ms. Sun Shuqing Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

It was recently reported that Ms. Sun Shuqing from Kouqian Town, Yongji County, was taken to Jilin Province Women’s Prison in March 2023. It was learned in December last year that she was arrested a month earlier and was held in the Shulan City Detention Center. She was later held in Jilin City Detention Center. She was recently sentenced to three years in prison.

15. [Nong’an County, Jilin Province] Liu Hongfeng Arrested

Liu Hongfeng was arrested at home by officers from Bajilei Town Police Station on March 5, 2023. The officers confiscated Falun Gong books and paper bills with Falun Gong facts printed on them. Liu has not yet returned home.

16. [Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Mou Caiying Arrested

Ms. Mou Caiying from Ningqiang County works for a property management company in a residential community in Hanzhong City. On the morning of May 15, 2023, she was arrested by a group of people in plain clothes. They claimed that they would take Ms. Mou to Ningqiang County under the orders of the mayor and would let her return to work on May 20 after the May 18-19 China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an.

17. [Huayin City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Du’s Whereabouts Unknown

On May 13, 2023, when Ms. Du was talking to people about Falun Gong, she ran into a police officer. Later, officers arrived in four police cars and arrested her. The officers ransacked her home. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

18. [Shulan City, Jilin Province] Four Practitioners Arrested

Ms. Sun Yurong from Shangying Town was arrested on the morning of May 19, 2023. That night, a prison uniform was put on her, and she was handcuffed and taken to Jilin City.

Wang Jie from Shulan City and Ms. Cheng Shufang from Jilin City, who was displaced, were arrested and taken to the Jilin City Detention Center.

Li Yajie was arrested. Further details are pending.

19. [Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhao Yaxian’s Pension Suspended

In 2000, Ms. Zhao Yaxian went from Changchun City to Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong, and she was sentenced to two years of forced labor. She was dismissed from public office by the Fujin City Commission for Discipline Inspection, and her pension was suspended.

For over 20 years, Ms. Zhao went to her work unit, the Commission for Discipline Inspection, the 610 Office, the Personnel Bureau and other departments three times to ask that her pension be reinstated and that she be reimbursed the amount that was taken. She failed to get anything.

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

Xiao Li, Hui Mian, and Xian Ling were arrested while distributing Falun Gong materials in Weizhuang Town on May 22, 2023. They were taken to the Longyao County Police Department.

When the police searched Xiao Li’s home that night, Xiao Li’s brother-in-law said a few words on behalf of her and Falun Gong. He was handcuffed and taken to the police department. He was later released when the village party secretary acted as a guarantor.

21. [Yilan County, Heilongjiang Province] Bai Hongyou and Zhu Deshan Face Trial

Bai Hongyou and Zhu Deshan are scheduled to be tried by the Yilan County Court at 8:30 a.m. on May 25, 2023.

22. [Qian’an City, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Harassed

Two officers from the Chengguan Police Station went to the homes of Ms. Wang Cuizhi, Ms. Liu Xiumin, and Ms. Zhou Xiuxia on May 17, 2023. The officers asked them if they still practiced Falun Gong and told them to sign guarantee statements to renounce their faith. The practitioners rejected the officers’ demands.

23. [Tianjin] Ms. Liu Yaming Forced to Sign Paperwork

Li Xinglei, security director of Lianggezhuang Village, in Shigezhuang Township, Wuqing District, and village Party secretary Li Lianbo, were instructed by the Shigezhuang Police Station to go to Ms. Liu Yaming’s home on April 20, 2023, and told her to go to the police station. Ms. Liu did not cooperate. They called her husband, daughter and son to convince her to go to the police station, but they did not succeed.

On the morning of April 24, Li Xinglei and Li Lianbo, together with four or five officers from the police station, went to Ms. Liu’s home in plain clothes to force her to sign paperwork. Ms. Liu refused to sign anything. They asked her to press her fingerprints on the document. She refused. Ms. Liu was very weak, and her body was trembling. The officers told her son to hold her hand to obtain her fingerprints.

24. [Liaocheng City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Mingsen Abused in Prison

It was reported on May 15, 2023, Mr. Liu Mingsen from Chiping District was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.

Mr. Liu is currently being held in Linqing Prison, and his family has no information about him. It was reported that conditions were harsh inside and that there were no side dishes for any of the three meals.

25. [Hefei City, Anhui Province] Ms. Wu Jingqing Arrested

Ms. Wu Jingqing, from the Luyang District, called and made an appointment with a colleague on the evening of May 22, 2023, to pick up items needed for work. When she was about to reach the place, a police car came and she was pulled into it.

In the car, Wang Liying, director of Anqing Road Police Station, showed a summons card. Only his name and the police station stamp were on the card, and there was no other information. The subpoena should be stamped by the police department in the district, not a police station. Ms. Wu immediately pointed out that the summons certificate was illegal. Her home was ransacked that night.

Early the next morning, Wu Jingqing was interrogated. On the interrogation transcript, Wu Jingqing wrote that the above transcript did not conform to what she had said and pointed out that the officers were in violation of the law. The police said that the transcript was not in compliance with the law and then revised and printed the transcript again. Ms. Wu again wrote that the transcript did not match her statement and pointed out the legal violations At noon on May 23, Wu Jingqing was released on bail and returned home.