Additional Persecution News from China – May 21, 2023 (13 Reports)

(Minghui.org) Today’s news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 13 cities or counties in 7 provinces, where at least 23 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced
2. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Liu Quan Detained
3. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Jinbo Detained
4. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Zhang Zhilan and Ms. Liu Lili Imprisoned
5. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Caihong Detained
6. [Tianjin] Ms. Wang Lianrong Arrested
7. [Qingdao City, Shandong Province] Mr. Zhang Dinggang’s Family Faces Indictment
8. [Gong’an County, Hubei Province] Ms. Yu Kaiju and Others Harassed
9. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Li Guihua Appealed
10. [Baoding City, Hebei Province] Mr. Wang Yanhui Detained
11. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wang Ye Stalked by Police
12. [Duolun County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region] Yuan Rongbao Detained for 14 Days
13. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Additional News on Mr. Zhao Xudong’s and His Children’s Arrest

1. [Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced

Seven practitioners were arrested at Mr. Zhao Juncheng’s home on December 8, 2021. Officers ransacked the place. The practitioners have been held in the Liaoyang City Detention Center. The Dengta City Court recently sentenced Ms. Bao Fengzhi to 16 months in prison, Ms. Li Ying to 18 months in prison, and Ms. Cui Rong to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Ms. Cui has appealed to Liaoyang City Intermediate Court. A virtual hearing is scheduled for June 7, 2023.

2. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Liu Quan Detained

Mr. Liu Quan was arrested in his apartment on the afternoon of May 19, 2023. Officers confiscated all his belongings, including his computer, tablet, and more than 20,000 yuan in cash. He is being held in an undisclosed place.

3. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Jinbo Detained

Mr. Liu Jinbo, who lives in Qixia City, was arrested while he was working in the Yantai City Development Zone. It was learned on May 19, 2023 that he was transferred to the Qixia City Detention Center.

4. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Zhang Zhilan and Ms. Liu Lili Imprisoned

Ms. Zhang Zhilan and Ms. Liu Lili were sent to the Shijiazhuang Women’s Prison on April 18, 2023.

Ms. Zhang was sent to the Tangshan City No. 1 Detention Center on August 12, 2020. She was tried by the Luannan Court on July 20, 2021 and sentenced to seven years and six months in prison and fined 20,000 yuan. The Tangshan Intermediate Court denied her appeal on January 13, 2022.

Ms. Liu was arrested on July 3, 2019 and given 15 days administrative detention. She was sent to the Tangshan City No. 1 Detention Center on March 30, 2021, and was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. She developed a high fever in the detention center in December 2022, which left her unable to walk. She is in a difficult situation.

5. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Caihong Detained

Ms. Zhao Caihong lives in Dazhuangke Township, Yanqing District. She was arrested at home by officers from the Yongning Town Police Station on May 11, 2023. The officers ransacked her home and confiscated 43 copies of Falun Gong books, 10 discs, several Falun Gong flyers, three pictures of the founder of Falun Gong, a computer, and a printer. They told her family that they would bring her home in three days. Three days later they returned with a detention notification. They said Ms. Zhao would be detained for a month.

6. [Tianjin] Ms. Wang Lianrong Arrested

Ms. Wang Lianrong lives in Zhangjiawo Town, Xiqing District. She was arrested by officers from the Zhangjiawo Police Station on May 10, 2023.

7. [Qingdao City, Shandong Province] Mr. Zhang Dinggang’s Family Faces Indictment

Mr. Zhang Dinggang, his wife Ms. Ji Qingzhu, and their eldest daughter were arrested on December 10, 2022. They were released on bail on December 14 and 18 because the COVID-19 cases surged in China.

Mr. Zhang was held in a cell where an inmate had severe COVID symptoms. After he was released, he coughed constantly, and was diagnosed with severe lung infection and heart failure. He was taken to an emergency room. While he was recovering at home, he was harassed by officers from the Qingdao Domestic Security Division.

The Qingdao Domestic Security Division filed their case to the Qingdao Procuratorate on May 18, 2023. The prosecutor summoned Mr. Zhang, Ms. Ji, and their daughter to the procuratorate.

Mr. Zhang is bedridden due to severe heart failure. Ms. Ji suffers leg weakness and has difficulty walking up or down stairs. Their daughter is sick. None of the three could go to the procuratorate.

8. [Gong’an County, Hubei Province] Ms. Yu Kaiju and Others Harassed

Ms. Yu Kaiju’s family was repeatedly harassed. Officer Xiang Xiaoyang and two other officers from the Gong’an County Domestic Security Division went to Ms. Yu’s home several times in mid-May 2023. When they did not find her, they called her brother and demanded to meet her.

Ms. Dong Shijun was harassed at home by an officer from the Jingjianghe Community. The officer questioned her and asked for phone numbers.

Mr. Lu Yuju was questioned and photographed by Hongqin Community clerks.

Dai Hong (gender unknown) was harassed at home twice by officer Chen Yang and two others from the Jiayuan Town Police Station. They questioned and photographed Dai.

9. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Li Guihua Appealed

Ms. Li Guihua was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by the Lianshan District Court on April 28, 2023. She appealed to the Huludao City Intermediate Court.

10. [Baoding City, Hebei Province] Mr. Wang Yanhui Detained

Mr. Wang Yanhui, who lives in the Qingyuan District, is being held in Baoding City Detention Center for criminal detention. His lawyer met him in the detention center on May 15, 2023. He said that Yangcheng Police Station director Wang Pengfei searched him and seized his cash worth more then 400 yuan and his home keys, when he was arrested. He asked to write complaints, but guards refused to let him. He asked his lawyer to tell his family, “Keep filing complaints to the Gaoyang Procuratorate.”

11. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wang Ye Stalked by Police

Ms. Wang Ye lived in Gaolikuang Village, Beigou Town, Penglai District. She bought a flight ticket to Beijing online in mid-April 2023. Two officers went to her home the next day, questioned her, and asked why she was traveling. She told them that she was going to visit her brother who was sick. The officers purchased tickets, followed her to Beijing and everywhere she went until she returned home.

12. [Duolun County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region] Yuan Rongbao Detained for 14 Days

Yuan Rongbao (gender unknown) was detained for 14 days in Chaoyang District Detention Center in Beijing. Yuan is now home.

13. [Jilin City, Jilin Province] Additional News on Mr. Zhao Xudong’s and His Children’s Arrest

Mr. Zhao Xudong, 77, lives in an apartment in Building 24, Hanyang Community, Longtan District. He and his children, Mr. Zhao Guoxing, 51, Ms Zhao Guokun, 45, were arrested at home by officers from the Jilin Domestic Security Division, Hadawan Police Station, and Xinghua Police around 7:00 p.m. on May 4, 2023. The officers ransacked the place. He and his son were taken to the Hadawan Police Station, while his daughter was taken to the Xinghua Police Station. At midnight, he and his daughter were taken to Jiangnan 465 Hospital to undergo a detention center entry physical examination. His blood pressure was 190 mmHg.

Mr. Zhao and his daughter were taken to the Jilin Detention Center the next day, May 5. His son was released from the Hadawan Police Station around 5:00 p.m. on May 5. Someone followed him home.

His daughter was released on the evening of May 17 after she had been detained for 13 days. She was given house arrest.

Mr. Zhao is still being held in the Jilin City Detention Center.