(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 10 cities or counties in 8 provinces, where at least 15 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.
Ms. Zang Yongjian, 52, was arrested on September 26, 2022. She was held in the Baoding City Detention Center. She was officially placed under arrest around November 2, 2022, but the case against her was later dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Afterwards, the police made false accusations. On August 17, 2023, Ms. Zang was tried by the Baoding City Court on charges made up by the police. There have been no updates or information about her since her trial, until two days ago, when it was learned that Ms. Zang was sentenced to two years in prison.
Ms. Lu Guilan, around 76, was taken to prison in November 2023. She is being held in the Shandong Province Women’s Prison.
Ms. Lu and Ms. Zhou Enbo were arrested at a house they rented on the afternoon of November 9, 2020.
Mr. Li Qiwen, Ms. Zhou, and Ms. Lu were sentenced to prison on June 10, 2021. Mr. Li was sentenced to three years and six months, Ms. Lu was sentenced to seven years and eight months (to be served outside prison), and Ms. Zhou was sentenced to four years (to be served outside prison).
Ms. Zhou’s whereabouts were unknown at the end of May 2023.
On December 19, 2023, Longkou City Court held a hearing and sentenced Wu Jingkun to two years in prison with a three-year suspension.
Elderly Ms. Du Shuhui was arrested in her home in Mian County on November 21, 2023. Plainclothes officers from the Jiaqi Road Police Station ransacked her home. They took her to the Huanglong Cases and Interrogation Center of the Mian County Police Department, where she was tied to a metal chair and interrogated. She returned home that night after experiencing epileptic symptoms.
On December 7, officers from the Wenquan Police Station in Mian County broke into Ms. Du’s home again. They arrested her and placed her under criminal detention. On December 19, Ms. Du was officially placed under arrest and is currently being held in Hantai District Detention Center.
Mr. Li Jigui and his wife were arrested at home on December 2, 2023. The officers ransacked their home and confiscated Falun Gong books and recordings of lectures given by Falun Gong’s founder. Mr. Li’s wife was released. He was detained for 15 days before he was released.
On the same day the officers arrested the couple’s daughter Ms. Li Jing in Yaoweizi Village, Taohaotai Township. They forced her to pay 2,000 yuan before releasing her.
Ms. Liu Yubo was arrested on the morning of December 28, 2023.
Ms. Chen Suying from Qingyiba Township was reported to the police for distributing Falun Gong materials. She was called to the local production brigade office for a court hearing at 2 p.m. on August 21, 2023. Those who attended the hearing included two people from the Jiufeng Police Station, four people from the village committee, one person from the court, one public prosecutor, and one assistant lawyer. The trial lasted 2 hours, from 2 to 4 p.m. Ms. Chen, who is elderly, could not clearly hear the verdict when it was announced, and was told to go home.
The home of Ms. Gu Chunying from Yanshou County was ransacked on July 21, 2022. She was punished for administrative violations and detained for five days. However, due to epidemic measures that were in place at the time, she was released.
On the morning of July 19, 2023, Ms. Gu was taken away from her home. A few days earlier, she clarified the truth about Falun Gong to a little boy, and his parents called the police. Liu Fengjun and others from the Chengbei Police Station located her home. On the afternoon of December 27, prosecutor Li Qian from the Acheng District Procuratorate told her lawyer over the phone that she would be prosecuted and her case was sent to the court that day.
Police departments, Domestic Security Divisions, and state security organizations in Changde City launched a large-scale campaign to arrest about 30 Falun Gong practitioners on November 30, 2023. Six practitioners were taken to a detention center, but two were sent home because of their high blood pressure. Four were detained for 10 days or 15 days. Some practitioners were also taken to a brainwashing center.
On December 26, Ms. Liu Xianju and Ms. Yang Biqiong (born in December 1952) were taken to the detention center, and their families subsequently received criminal detention notices.
Ms. Shi Jianhua, a 74-year-old resident of Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, was sentenced to six years and ten months and fined 30,000 on May 31, 2023. She appealed with the Daqing City Intermediate Court, which refused to accept the case on the grounds that it was related to Falun Gong. She then filed a motion with the High Court of Heilongjiang Province to have her case reconsidered. She has not yet received a response.
Ms. Shi had been previously released on bail, officers of the High-tech Development Zone Police Department arrested her at home on December 20, 2023. They took her to the Daqing City Detention Center. The authorities hinted that they would soon take her to the Heilongjiang Province Women’s Prison in Harbin City, where she was to serve her prison term.