(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 17 cities or counties in 10 provinces. According to this report, 7 Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention, and at least 22 were illegally arrested.
Mr. Chen Zhong, Mr. Zheng Hui, and Niu were recently sentenced by the Xiayedeken District Court. Mr. Chen was sentenced to a six year and six-month prison term, Mr. Zheng to four years and six months, and Niu to a four-year term.
M. Wang Lianhong, 66, and Ms. Lu Yuqing, 58, were arrested by officers from the Xiyuzhuangzi Police Station on September 8, 2014, for talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong. They are being held at a detention center at the Hongqiao Police Department.
Their families learned on August 19, 2016, that Ms. Wang had been sentenced to a three-year prison term and Ms. Lu to a two and a half year term.
Ms. Li Guifang was arrested at home and had her home ransacked by officers from the Anqiu City Domestic Security Division on June 25, 2016. She was held at the Liujiayao Brainwashing Center for 20 days, then transferred to the Weifang City Detention Center.
Mr. Chen Changde was arrested and taken to the Shifang City Detention Center on August 18, 2016, for distributing informational materials about the persecution of Falun Gong.
Ms. Zhao Xiuli was arrested by officers from the Heping District Police Department and the Taiyuanjie Police Station on August 4, 2016. She was taken to the Zaohua Detention Center.
Ms. Sha Jinchuan was arrested at work by officers from Jiading District on August 11, 2016, and taken to the Xincun Police Station. The police confiscated two printers, one recorder, informational DVDs, and other materials about the persecution of Falun Gong. She is now in the Jiading District Detention Center.
Seven practitioners were arrested at home by Lutai Town Police Station officers on August 2, 2016. They are Mr. Zheng Xianjin, Ms. Wang Haomei, Mr. Niu Moqi, Ms. Lu Guiying, Ms. Ding Yufang, Ms. Zhu Meilan, and Mr. Lei Liu.
Ms. Zhu has been released. The other six are being held in a detention center.
Ms. Jiang Zhifen was arrested and taken to the Nanping Police Station on August 18, 2016, for talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong.
Ms. Shao Qiuying and Ms. Huang Chunling were arrested by officers from the Gongyeyuan District Police Station on August 15, 2016. The were detained for five days.
Ms. Hu Xuefang, 53, was arrested by officers from the Xinkai Town Police Station on August 18, 2016, for talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong. She is now in the Wuxue City Detention Center.
Parties involved in persecuting Ms. Hu:Zhang Biao (张彪), director of Xinkai Police Station: +86-713-3711009, +86-18986757518Liu Weidong (刘卫东), deputy instructor: +86-18986757202
Ms. Zhuang Yuli was arrested and had her home ransacked by Pan Hongkai, Tong Dejiang, and other officers from the Beipiao City Domestic Security Division on August 22, 2016. She is being held in the Chaoyang Detention Center.
Parties involved in persecuting Ms. Zhuang:Beipiao City Domestic Security Division: +86-4215855153Pan Hongkai (潘洪凯), officer: +86-13942165760
Mr. Fei Xuelong was released on August 19 after spending ten days in detention for seeking the release of Ms. Li Li, who was arrested earlier for refusing to renounce Falun Gong.
Like Ms. Li, Mr. Fei, also practices Falun Gong. He accompanied Ms. Li's father-in-law and sister-in-law to the police station on August 8, but they were arrested when they sought Ms. Li’s release.
Ms. Li's father-in-law and sister-in-law were released later that night.
Mr. Fei, a lecturer at the Agriculture Agricultural Technology College, told his family that while he was in detention, he was savagely beaten and had his hands cuffed behind his back and pulled up high. The pain was excruciating.
Ms. Dong Xiaoli was sentenced to three and a half years for distributing information about the persecution of Falun Gong.
Ms. Dong was arrested on March 17, 2016, and tried on July 14. She was sentenced on August 22 while being held in the Harbin City Second Detention Center.
Ms. Du Jiqun was tried in the Gaoxin Court on August 19, 2016. Only two family members were allowed to attend the hearing.
Tai Peisen, the public prosecutor, listed the items taken from Ms. Du’s home by the police. Ms. Du’s lawyer asked that the items be shown in court. The lawyer’s request was denied.
Ms. Du’s lawyer pled not guilty on her behalf. Ms. Du also started to describe how she had benefitted from practicing Falun Gong, but the judge stopped her after just a few sentences.
Jinshantun Court was the location of Ms. Liang Cuirong’s trial on August 22, 2016. The court dispatched all the police officers in the Nancha District and had them surround the courthouse. Only four of Ms. Liang’s family members and friends were allowed to enter the courtroom.
Ms. Liang stated that she benefitted from practicing Falun Gong and that she did not commit any crime. Her lawyer defended her, pleading not guilty on her behalf, and asked the court to release her unconditionally.
The trial lasted two hours. There was no decision.
Mr. Lu Shengli, Ms. Jiang Mengmei, and Ms. Tan Shuhui from the Jiangyang District were arrested on June 4, 2015, for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. They were tried on May 17, 2016, in Yanting Court.
The trial lasted about five hours, with the decision to be announced at a later date.
The court still has not announced a decision. Several family members went to the court on August 19, 2016, and asked for the verdict. The presiding judge said that he had passed the case files to Mianyang Intermediate's Court and there was still no decision.
Ms. Xiao Chunhong was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 20,000 yuan on June 7, 2016, for talking to people about Falun Gong. She has appealed. A hearing is scheduled for August 26, 2016.
This is not the first time Ms. Xiao has been targeted for her faith. She already served eight years in prison, from 2008 to 2014, during which time her employer, Hu County Thermal Power Station, suspended her pension.
She lived with her mother upon her release but was constantly harassed by the local police. Even so, she never stopped talking to people about Falun Gong, for which she was arrested again on January 18 of this year.
Her only child was not allowed to visit her. The young man is worried about his mother's well-being, especially after he learned that she has been force fed and beaten for refusing to give up her belief.