(Clearwisdom.net) Today's News from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 18 cities or counties in 7 provinces. In this report, 24 practitioners were subjected to brutal mistreatment during their detention, and at least 7 practitioners were illegally arrested.

On December 23, 2008, agents from the Mengyin County 610 Office and police officer Wang Wei barged into the Dongguan Village School in Mengyin Town and arrested Ms. Wang Lili, who is an English teacher. She has been repeatedly detained at the Linyi City Brainwashing Center and the Linyi City Detention Center. Guards would strip off her clothes and pour cold water on the floor, which would make her dangerously cold.

Hou Chao, assistant principal of Dongguan Village School in Mengyin Town: 86-13962944602 (Cell)

Ms. Xiu Yanpeng from Penglai City was arrested at home on May 15, 2008 . She was sentenced to four years of imprisonment and is now in the Jinan City Prison.

Ms. Xiu's parents are both over 60 years old. Her husband works in another city. They have a child under two years old. Her husband's parents live far away and one of them is paralyzed. Her husband's 90-year-old grandmother needs to be cared for.

On January 7, 2009, two practitioners from Guangshui City were reported to the police while they were distributing Falun Gong fliers on a train. They were arrested and detained in the Wuhan City Railway Detention Center.

On January 8, 2009, Ms. Chen Xiumei was reported to the police when she was promoting Falun Gong in Jingxiu Park. As a result, she was arrested.

Ms. Chen, 54, used to work in the Cotton Mill. She was dismissed just because she is a practitioner. After July 20, 1999, she went to Beijing several times to appeal for Falun Gong. Consequently, she was detained in the Baoding City Liaison Office in Beijing, the Baoding City Forced Labor Camp, Shijiazhuang City Forced Labor Camp, and the Baoding City Brainwashing Center. In 2002 and on March 7, 2003, she was taken to the Baoding City Forced Labor Camp, where she was brutally abused by the guards and inmates. On March 9, 2003, she was handcuffed for one day for practicing the Falun Gong exercises. Later, she was handcuffed for long period of time for refusing to wear prison clothing or have her photograph taken. As a result, her wrists blistered and festered.

Incited by the guards, inmates Zhang Xinyin and Zang Wantong kicked Ms. Chen in the leg so hard that they bruised her legs. They also slapped her in the face.

Jingxiu Park Police Station: 86-312-3065899
Baoding City Detention Center: 86-312-5033472

Ms. Jin Xiuyan lived in Jijia Township, Jiutai City. She is detained in the 6^th team of Heizuizi Forced Labor Camp, where she has been subjected to severe abuse. When her family went to visit her, she was incoherent.

6^th team of Heizuizi Forced Labor Camp: 86-13578892781 (Cell)

Recently, when the Estate Management Company under the Merchant Bureau in Wuhan City recruited employees, potential candidates were required to obtain testimonials from the local police stations or residents' committee that they had not committed a crime and that they did not practice Falun Gong.

Estate Management Company: 86-27-85743233, 86-27-85743592
Persons in charge:

Zhan: 86-15927604766 (Cell)

Zhou: 86-13971415467 (Cell)

On the afternoon of January 8, 2009, Ms. Quan, a senior practitioner in Yanji City, witnessed a fellow practitioner being arrested. She went forward to argue with the arresting officials. Consequently, she was arrested and taken to Jiangong Police Station.

On the night of June 7, 2005, Ms. Tang, employed at the Chengdu Institute of Electric Science and Technology University, was reported to the Security Section of the university for distributing Falun Gong fliers in the No. 7 dormitory. That same night, officers from the Gaoxinxi District Police Station, assisted by university security officers, arrested her and took her to the Chengdu City Detention Center. Thirteen days later, in an attempt to relinquish responsibility, authorities from the university planned to take her to her hometown for further abuse. Ms. Tang made a successful escape on the train.

Mr. Du Zhenjun, 57, lived in Zhangjiabaozi Village, Qinghe District, Tieling City. He has been detained since the beginning of December 2008.

In December 2005, Li Meng from the State Security Division under the Qinghe District Police Department, as well as police officers from the Zhangxiang Town Police Station, broke into his home and arrested him. He was hit with a high-voltage electric baton. After being tortured, he had

20, 000 yuan extorted from him and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment, to be served outside of prison.

Before the 2008 Olympic Games, police officers plotted to arrested Mr. Du again. He made his escape and became destitute and homeless. Within a month after he returned home, he was arrested again and has been detained in Kaiyuan Detention Center.

Director of Qinghe District Police Department: 86-410-2188001
Deputy director of Qinghe District Police Department: 86-410-2188008

Ms. Yang Qingmei,from Pantun Village, Chengdong Township, Kaiyuan City, has been detained in the Kaiyuan City Detention Center. She was sentenced to one and half years of imprisonment and will be taken to Liaoning Province Women's Prison. So far, her family members have not been allowed to see her.

Shang Kewen of Kaiyuan City Court: 86-410-3837681 (Office), 86-410-2826838 (Home), 86-13904907681 (Cell)
Fan Wenyu: 86-410-3838705 (Office), 86-410-3607999 (Home), 86-13804102296 (Cell)

Mr. Sun Difa lived in Sunjiamayu Village, Taoxu Town, Mengyin County. He was arrested in July 2008, and his home was searched. His Dafa books and "Minghui Weekly" were seized. He has been detained in the Mengyin County Detention Center. He is presently facing sentencing.

The Linyi City "610 Office" set up a brainwashing center in the Water Conservation Technical School. It has been in existence for eight years. Each practitioner taken to the center has 2,000 yuan to 3,000 yuan extorted from him or her. To confiscate more money, the authorities of the 610 Office often incited local police officers to arrest practitioners. One practitioner was arrested many times and had money extorted repeatedly.

After Ms. Zhang Yuying's husband, Mr. Zhang Chuanchao, was arrested, she was also arrested and detained in the Jinan City Detention Center.

Six practitioners are facing sentencing by the Huanggu District Court before the Spring Festival. The judge in charge is Jin Jun from the No. 1 Criminal Court. Among those being sentenced, the families of Mr. Zhao Guoliangn, Mr. Cai Zongbin, Mr. Zheng Yi, Ms. Wu Yefeng, and Ms. Liu Guifeng have hired lawyers to defend their innocence. Mr. Zhao Guoliang, Mr. Cai Zongbin, Mr. Zheng Yi, and Mr. Lin Huaiyu are in the Huanggu Detention Center, and Ms. Wu Yefeng and Ms. Liu Guifeng are in the Shenyang City Detention Center.

Jin Jun of the No. 1 Criminal Court: 86-24-26219567
Huanggu District 610 Office: 86-24-86855063

More than 80 practitioners are detained in the Shiling Town Prison in Siping City. Every group of five practitioners is monitored by one "controlling inmate." Any practitioner who refuses to give up his or her belief is beaten. Some practitioners were prohibited from seeing their families.

Mr. Li Xianzhong, Mr. Chen Jian, and Mr Yu You, practitioners from Beixing Farm under the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, have been held in the Hongxinglong Administration Bureau Detention Center for more than seven months. On November 26, 2008, they received a sentencing letter from the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau Court. Mr. Yu was sentenced to six years of imprisonment, and Mr. Li and Mr. Chen were sentenced to four years each. They have all appealed to a higher court. The Agricultural Reclamation Bureau Intermediate Court is upholding the original sentence.

People involved in the persecution:

Dong Shishan, president of Jiguan District, Jixi City: 86-467-2641601
Zhao Fujun, deputy president: 86-467-2641602 (Office), 86-13804880019 (Cell)
Ma Liping, Criminal Court judge: 86-467-2641612 (Office), 86-13314679790 (Cell)

On July 31, 2008, Ms. Wang Guirong was arrested. She is in the Baishan City Detention Center. So far her family has not been allowed to see her. On December 28, 2008, she was sentenced to three years of forced labor. Her family was not notified.

On August 15, 2008, Mr. Wang Jun was arrested at home and is being held in the Baodi District Detention Center. It has been reported that the Baodi District Court will try him on the morning of January 12, 2009.

The Laoshan District Court has planned a court session at 9:30 a.m. on January 19, 2009, to try Ms. Xu Yingchun, Ms. Li Xiujun, Ms. Sui Lianfang, and Ms. Zhang Jing.

On the southeast corner of the Beijing Women's Forced Labor Camp, there is a "concentrated training team," where a group of steadfast practitioners were detained. Before the Olympic Games, the camp authorities covertly transferred these practitioners.

January 10, 2009