The extortion of  Falun Gong practitioners, a common form of persecution, is particularly severe in this poor county.

CCP Officials Arrest Falun Gong Practitioners in Mengyin County, Shandong Province

It is well-known that Mengyin County of Shandong Province is one of China's most poverty-stricken areas. The local 610 Office and police stations use every chance possible to harass, torture and fine Falun Gong practitioners. Usually, they arrest practitioners and ransack their homes. They steal anything of value, including chickens, rabbits, dogs and trees. They take practitioners to brainwashing centers, police stations or detention centers. They take advantage of the sentimentality of practitioners' family members who do not want to see their loved ones suffer, and force them to pay excessive fines. Some practitioners become impoverished due to the greediness of those evil people, and their children have to quit school and work to help pay the debts.

In April 2008, police officers from the 610 Office in Jiuzai County, Jiuzai County Police Station, as well as the 610 Office located in the county police station went to Beimozhuang Village, located in northern Jiuzai County. They arrested practitioners Mr. Xu Zhidong and Ms. Li Qiuhong, a married couple, and ransacked their home without legal documentation or a warrant. Mr. Xu Zhidong was illegally detained in the Mengyin County Detention Center, and Ms. Li Qiuhong in the Yinan County Detention Center.

On April 9, 2008, police officers from Mengyin County arrested practitioners Mr. Yang Xincai and Ms. Ju Fanglin, husband and wife, from Pengwu Village in western Jiuzai County, and detained them in the Yinan County Police Station. Ju Peng and others from the 610 Office in Jiuzai County fined them 10,000 yuan before releasing Ms. Ju Fanglin. Mr. Yang Xincai was sentenced to one year of forced labor. He is currently being tortured in the Wangcun Forced Labor Camp.

Mr. Ju Dianxin, a teacher from the Jiuzai County Elementary School in Mengyin County, was arrested at 3:00 p.m. on April 17, 2008. He was detained in the Mengyin County Detention Station. He was not released until personnel from the 610 Office in Mengyin County were paid 20,000 yuan.

Mr. Zhang Yubao from Lianwangya Village in Jiuzai County was arrested on April 18. After several days of imprisonment in the Jiuzai County Police Station, he was forced to pay 15,000 yuan to officials from the Jiuzai County 610 Office.

On May 5, Wang Wei and others from the 610 Office, located in the Mengyin County Police Station, and officers from the Jushan Police Station broke into the home of Mr. Xiong Fanglai, who is disabled, in Shimen Village of Mengyin Township. They ransacked the house just like robbers. After finding some truth-clarifying materials about the persecution of Falun Gong, they arrested Mr. Xiong. He was detained in the Mengyin County Detention Center. After being detained in the Mengyin Detention Center. With the approval of the CCP secretary of the village, the police fined Mr. Xiong Fanglai's family members 5,000 yuan, and released him on May 15.

Between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on May 20, officers from the county 610 Office and Jushan Police Station arrested practitioners Ms. Dong Jinying and Ms. Li Guixiang from Gongjiawan Village in Mengyin Township, Mengyin County. Six police officers broke into their home under the pretext of "taking a look around." The practitioners were interrogated and tortured in the Jushan Police Station. Ms. Dong Jinying, who is close to 60 years old, was forced to sit on the cement floor with her legs stretched out straight, and interrogated for an entire night. At around 3:00 p.m. of the second day, Ms. Dong Jinying and Ms. Li Guixiang were released after their family members paid 10,000 yuan.