(Minghui.org) Today’s news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 19 cities or counties in 8 provinces, where at least 40 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Binzhou City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Hongji Taken to Prison
2. [Fuyang City, Anhui Province] Ms. Liu Fengyun and Ms. Mei Xinying Sentenced to Prison
3. [Pengxi County, Sichuan Province] Ms. Chen Qiuju and Ms. He Xuemei Face Trial
4. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Liang Fengjiao Taken to Brainwashing Center
5. [Beijing] Mr. Wang Zhiyong Held in Detention Center
6. [Longkou City, Shandong Province] Several Practitioners Arrested
7. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wu Jingkun Arrested
8. [Linfen City, Shanxi Province] Mr. Yuan Jinming Taken to Detention Center
9. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Mr. Zhao Xudong and Family Members Arrested
10. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Zhang Cuiying Faces Trial
11. [Chongqing] Ms. Ma Niangniang’s Home Ransacked
12. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Yuan and Meng Arrested
13. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Yaping Missing
14. [Weihai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Liu Xiuguo’s Home Ransacked
15. [Guan County, Shandong Province] Practitioners’ Case Files Returned
16. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Xu Jianqun Faces Trial
17. [Nanchong City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Deng Guihua’s Home Ransacked
18. [Langfang City, Hebei Province] Ms. Wu Chunying and Ms. Liu Yali Arrested
19. [Chongqing] Ms. Wang Hong Faces Trial
20. [Shanghai] Ms. Zhu Yunxiang Arrested
21. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Case Against Ms. Kou Juying Turned Over to Procuratorate

1. [Binzhou City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Hongji Taken to Prison

Mr. Liu Hongji from Houliudian Village, Yanghu Township, Yangxin County, was reported to the police for distributing Falun Gong materials, and was arrested by officers from the Yanghu Township Police Station. He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and taken to Jinan Prison in September 2022.

2. [Fuyang City, Anhui Province] Ms. Liu Fengyun and Ms. Mei Xinying Sentenced to Prison

Ms. Liu Fengyun and Ms. Mei Xinying from Chengji Town, Yingzhou District, were tried on March 3, 2023. Ms. Liu was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and Ms. Mei was sentenced to two years and six months. They are being held in the Fuyang City Women’s Detention Center.

3. [Pengxi County, Sichuan Province] Ms. Chen Qiuju and Ms. He Xuemei Face Trial

Ms. Chen Qiuju and Ms. He Xuemei were arrested on October 24, 2022. They have been held in Yongxing Detention Center, Suining City. It was reported that they would have their first trial in the Pengxi County Criminal Court at 9:30 a.m. on May 18.

4. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Liang Fengjiao Taken to Brainwashing Center

Ms. Liang Fengjiao and her elder sister, from Yangluo Sub-district in Xinzhou District, were followed by plainclothes officers to a supermarket when they talked to people about Falun Gong and distributed Falun Gong informational materials on the afternoon of May 4, 2023. The two practitioners were arrested and taken to the Yuji Police Station, where they were interrogated until after 1 a.m. Ms. Liang’s sister was released because she had to take care of her sick son.

Ms. Liang was detained for five days and was sent to the hospital for a physical examination. She had high blood pressure. Five days later, the police still did not release her, and took her directly from the police station to Liuji Brainwashing Center.

5. [Beijing] Mr. Wang Zhiyong Held in Detention Center

Mr. Wang Zhiyong from Miyun District was reported to the police for talking to people about Falun Gong on May 7, 2023. Four officers from the Shilipu Town Police Station in Miyun District ransacked his home and confiscated four copies of lectures given by Master Li, the founder of Falun Gong. Mr. Wang was taken to Miyun Detention Center at midnight that night. His 13-year-old son was left alone at home, with no one to look after him.

6. [Longkou City, Shandong Province] Several Practitioners Arrested

About 10 people broke into Mr. Sun Guangjun’s home in Donghai District at 6 a.m. on May 9, 2023, and ransacked the place. Mr. Sun and his non-practitioner elder sister Ms. Sun Guangling were arrested. The officers confiscated a computer and Falun Gong books. They also ransacked Ms. Li Feifei’s home and confiscated a computer and a printer. At the same time Ms. Wang, her non-practitioner husband, and practitioners Li and Hu were arrested.

Several officers threatened to send Mr. Sun to prison. Due to his physical condition, Mr. Sun and his sister were released that night. Ms. Wang’s non-practitioner husband has also returned home.

Ms. Wang Wenhua was also arrested. Her home was ransacked and a large number of Falun Gong books and other materials were confiscated.

7. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wu Jingkun Arrested

Ms. Wu Jingkun from Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested on May 10, 2023, at the Longkou Farmers Market in Yantai City, Shandong Province.

8. [Linfen City, Shanxi Province] Mr. Yuan Jinming Taken to Detention Center

Mr. Yuan Jinming from Houma City was taken to a detention center by officers from the Quwo County Domestic Security Division.

9. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Mr. Zhao Xudong and Family Members Arrested

Mr. Zhao Xudong, his son Mr. Zhao Guoxing, and daughter Ms. Zhao Guokun were arrested at home around 8 p.m. on May 4, 2023. His son was released. The whereabouts of Mr. Zhao and his daughter are unknown.

In addition, Ms. Ding Hairong, 62, was arrested on May 4, 2023, and taken to the Xinghua Police Station in Longtan District.

10. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Zhang Cuiying Faces Trial

Ms. Zhang Cuiying from Shaozhuangzi Village, Yangezhuang Town, Leting County, is being held in the Tangshan City No. 1 Detention Center. Her case was brought to the Luannan County Court by the Luannan County Procuratorate. She will be tried at 9 a.m. on May 15, 2023.

11. [Chongqing] Ms. Ma Niangniang’s Home Ransacked

Over 10 people from the Xiejiawan Police Station and the sub-district administration office in Jiulongpo District broke into Ms. Ma Niangniang’s home and ransacked the place around 8 a.m. on May 8, 2023. They confiscated more than twelve Falun Gong books and also questioned her about her son-in-law.

12. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Yuan and Meng Arrested

Yuan and Meng (given names and genders unknown) from Anziling Township, Qinglong County, were reported to the police for talking to people about Falun Gong on the morning of May 9, 2023. They were arrested by officers from the Anziling Township Police Station. Further information is pending.

13. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Yaping Missing

Ms. Liu Yaping from Pinggu District was harassed on May 10, 2023, by a group of police officers while she was working in a kindergarten. Her family does not know where she is now.

14. [Weihai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Liu Xiuguo’s Home Ransacked

Around the Qingming (Tomb Sweeping) Festival, on April 5, 2023, Ms. Liu Xiuguo, 81, from Raojian Village, Zhuwang Town, Rushan City, told a villager about Falun Gong. This person did not listen to her, photographed her with a cell phone and then reported Ms. Liu to the police. That evening, two officers from the Zhuwang Town Police Station went to Ms. Liu’s home and ransacked the place. They confiscated two copies of Zhuan Falun and a copy of Essentials for Further Advancement.

15. [Guan County, Shandong Province] Practitioners’ Case Files Returned 

On December 21, 2022, the Guan County Court sentenced eight practitioners including Zhang Yuxiang, Xu Hengkui, and Zhou Chunbao from three to seven and a half years in prison. Among them, Xu Hengkui, Kong Dequan, Han Zhenlin, Zhang Bingliang, and Zhang Yuxiang appealed to the Liaocheng Intermediate Court separately, and five lawyers from Beijing were hired to represent them. However, the Liaocheng Intermediate Court returned their case files to the Guan County Court on May 6, 2023.

Around 7 a.m. on May 8, 2023, Xu Hengkui from Gantun Township was arrested by officers from the Guan County Domestic Security Division and taken to the Guan County Detention Center.

16. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Xu Jianqun Faces Trial

Ms. Xu Jianqun, 80, was reported to the police for distributing Internet censorship circumvention software. She was arrested on September 17, 2021 by officers from the Fangcao Street Police Station in the High-tech Zone. Her home was ransacked. She was released on bail that day. Ms. Xu was notified that she would be tried on May 25. 2023.

17. [Nanchong City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Deng Guihua’s Home Ransacked

Ms. Deng Guihua is from Lidu Town, Jialing District. On May 9, 2023, three plainclothes officers ransacked her new home in the district’s downtown area. They confiscated her Falun Gong books, some cash, and paper bills with information about Falun Gong printed on them. Six Falun Gong books in Ms. Deng’s bag were also confiscated.

18. [Langfang City, Hebei Province] Ms. Wu Chunying and Ms. Liu Yali Arrested

Ms. Wu Chunying from Houyi Township, Yongqing County, and Ms. Liu Yali from Beixinliu Township were arrested by officers from the Tielu Police Station in Liujie Township on May 10, 2023, while talking to people about Falun Gong at the Dawangzhuang farmers market in Liujie Township. Their homes were ransacked.

19. [Chongqing] Ms. Wang Hong Faces Trial

Ms. Wang Hong is from Tangba Town, Tongnan District. The Jiangbei District Court notified her by phone that her case was tentatively scheduled to go to trial at the No. 2 Trial Court of Jiangbei District at 10 a.m. on May 19, 2023. Ms. Wang is being held in the Jiangbei District Detention Center.

Ms. Wang was staying in a rented house in Yubei District. On the morning of September 21, 2022, officers from the Yubei District Domestic Security Division broke in, arrested her, ransacked the place, and confiscated her Falun Gong books, a computer, a printer, and over 10,000 yuan in cash.

20. [Shanghai] Ms. Zhu Yunxiang Arrested

Ms. Zhu Yunxiang was arrested on April 20, 2023. She returned home on April 30.

21. [Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province] Case Against Ms. Kou Juying Turned Over to Procuratorate

Elderly Ms. Kou Juying from Shilipu Sub-district was arrested on February 20, 2023. She was held in the Xi’an City Detention Center. She was officially placed under arrest on March 7. Her case was turned over to the Chang’an District Procuratorate in early May.

Ms. Kou was arrested at home by over 20 officers from the Sanqiao Police Station, the Xinjiamiao Police Station, and the Xixian New Area Domestic Security Division on the afternoon of August 18, 2022. The officers ransacked her home and confiscated a computer, two laptops, a printer, Falun Gong books, and seven or eight cell phones. Ms. Kou was taken to Xidian Hospital. Her blood pressure reading was as high as 220/150, she had kidney stones, and had infection in her lungs. After her son went through the bail procedures, Ms. Kou was released.