(Minghui.org) An elderly couple in their 80s in Shifang City, Sichuan Province were walking on the street on November 8, 2021, when two police officers suddenly stopped them.
This was the second time within a month that Mr. Gong Xueliang, 84, and Ms. Wang Zhongqiong, 81, were arrested for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
An officer named Long Lin took the couple to the Yonghu Police Station. Long handed them to another plainclothes officer and then left. That officer said he was transferred from the Chengdong Police Station to replace officer Yang Qing, who was in charge of the couple’s case, but was unable to come as he had just broken his leg at home.
The officer received a video call from Long an hour later, who said that he had just received the summons notice (for the couple) issued by the Shifang City Police Department. The officer pointed out there was something wrong with the couple’s address on the notice, but Long said it didn’t matter. The officer also asked how to fill out the item for the officer handling the summons. Long said to put down Wang Xiaobin, the head of the police station, even though Wang wasn’t present during the conversation.
That officer asked the couple what they had done on September 30, and some information about their family. They refused to answer the questions. The officer didn’t mention a word about the couple’s previous arrest on October 13, 2021 and their being put under house arrest afterwards.
The couple was released at noon. One officer indicted that they were submitting their case to the higher-ups.
First Arrest
The couple was previously arrested on October 13, just after they finished shopping at a supermarket. One officer held Ms. Wang’s left arm behind her back and forcefully twisted it. Along with officer Long, they pushed her into the police car. Her right arm was also twisted, which later developed bruising. Mr. Gong was pushed into the car by two officers.
At the Yonghu Police Station, chief Wang Xiaobin snatched their bags and searched them. Wang also ordered a female officer to body search Ms. Wang.
Ms. Wang urged the officers not to participate in the persecution, as justice would be served one day. They refused to listen.
When the couple wasn’t noticing, the police took away their keys and ransacked their home when no one was around. Over 60 Falun Gong books and some Falun Gong keepsakes were confiscated.
At the same time, a dozen officers took turns monitoring the couple at the police station. Chief Wang announced that they were being put under house arrest, on charges of “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” the standard pretext used to criminalize Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Wang threatened that the couple wasn’t allowed to contact anyone during this time and ordered them to turn in their IDs to the police.
The couple refused to cooperate and were released in the afternoon.
Upon returning home, they noticed that the police had carefully put things back after searching around, and their old IDs on the table had been taken away.
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