(Minghui.org) Seven local residents of Chifeng City are being detained for refusing to give up their faith and will soon be put on trial. Some have hired lawyers to enter “not-guilty” pleas on their behalf.
They and many others in Jiqi County Detention Center are practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted in China.
1. The police arrested Mr. Jiang Xuenong when he tried to stop them from harassing another practitioner, Ms. Fan Zhongli, who was pregnant at the time. Three months later, in February 2017, the police informed Mr. Jiang's family that his arrest had been officially approved. The police continued to threaten Ms. Fan with lawsuits.
2. Over 30 police officer broke into Mr. Ding Yufang's home at 4 a.m. on April 18, 2017, and arrested him. Mr. Ding went on a hunger strike when he was detained and became extremely weak. The guards took him to a hospital and force fed him.
Related report: Mr. Ding Yufang Still Detained Despite Insufficient Evidence
3. Mr. Huang Yade was arrested early in the morning on April 18, 2017, and taken to Sanyanjing Detention Center. The authorities have kept the details of his trial secret from his family. Prior to this arrest, Mr. Huang was put in a forced labor camp in 2008 and tortured for three and a half years because of his belief.
4. In January of this year Mr. Jia Bin was released from Chifeng Prison after serving five years for refusing to give up his faith. Three months later, on April 21, Mr. Jia was captured again together with his wife Ms. Zhao Chunxia, who is also a practitioner. The couple are being held in Lindong Detention Center.
5. The police seized Ms. Sheng Xiuhuan on April 11, 2017, searched her house, and confiscated her belongings. Two days later the police changed her “administrative detention” to “criminal detention” and officially arrested her.
6. Mr. Yang Futian and his wife, Ms. Sun Jing, were arrested on May 25, 2017. Ms. Sun was quickly released because of a health problem. Mr. Yang was officially arrested on June 8 and is now in Pingzhuang Detention Center.
