(Minghui.org) The persecution of Falun Gong by the communist regime is still going on. In addition to arrest and detention, financial extortion has become very common.

When the persecution began more than a decade ago, the police rarely demanded more than 10,000 yuan. Nowadays, it is not unusual for them to demand 70,000 or 80,000 yuan, even from practitioners who live in rural areas and have little money. Some practitioners, especially those who are financially well off, had 100,000 yuan or even more extorted from them.

Reports on this type of persecution have been limited. Some practitioners are afraid that reporting on this could result in further mistreatment or retaliation by the authorities. In fact, telling the facts and publicizing them is one way to stop this criminal behavior. If we hesitate to speak up and don't share the perpetrators’ information with the public, we may unintentionally help these authorities continue to victimize more practitioners.

My understanding is that we should be clear that our mission is to save people. Only by bringing the facts to the public can we give everyone an opportunity to choose between what is right and what is wrong. If we ignore financial persecution or remain silent, doesn’t it imply we acknowledge such mistreatment, which will, in turn, prevent people from being saved?

In the past more than 10 years, persecuting practitioners financially has been a major tool used by the communist regime. Working with police departments, the 610 Office imposed all kinds of “fines” on practitioners, often amounting to over 100,000 yuan or more.

Judicial officers, including police officers, court staff, and procuratorial offices, also impose fines. They often demand hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of yuan from practitioners' families. In addition, officials confiscate practitioners' valuable personal belongings, such as laptop computers, digital cameras, jewelry, and so on. Practitioners who aren't able to pay the fines face long-term imprisonment.

If we are afraid of their bad deeds, these officials will continue to persecute us. Therefore, we have to take it seriously in order to stop this criminal behavior and save people.

By studying the Fa more, we will have stronger righteous thoughts, let go off the attachment of fear, and do better on this.