(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 19 cities or counties in 11 provinces. According to this report, 6 Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention, and at least 27 were illegally arrested.
1. [Beijing] Mr. Zhang Jiuhai Given a Four-Year Prison Term
2. [Qingdao City, Shandong Province] Mr. Zhou Xing Detained
3. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Manfeng Given a Six-Month Prison Term
4. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Shuzhi and Family Arrested
5. [Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Lu Jingyuan Arrested
6. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Cong Lixia Detained
7. [Helong City, Jilin Province] Ms. Feng Mei Arrested
8. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Xue Guorui Transferred to Dalian City Prison
9. [Foshan City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Yang Qiujuan and Family of Six Arrested
10. [Zhashui County, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Li Meihua Arrested
11. [Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Zeng Qingshan and Another Practitioner Arrested
12. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Xia Shiyuan Arrested
13. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced
14. [Huachuan County, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Liu Ziping Sentenced
15. [Zhenyuan County, Gansu Province] Ms. Qiang Weixiu Arrested
16. [Gaizhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Dai Guilian Transferred to Prison
17. [Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province] Mr. Ding Xianyou Sentenced
18. [Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Huang Licheng Transferred to Prison
19. [Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province] Ms. Li Lanying Tortured in Prison
20. [Yinchuan City, Ningxia Autonomous Region] Mr. Xie Yiqing Appealed Again After His Sentence Increased
21. [Nancheng County, Jiangxi Province] Ms. Luo Jianrong Released After Four Years’ Imprisonment
1. [Beijing] Mr. Zhang Jiuhai Given a Four-Year Prison Term
Mr. Zhang Jiuhai was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 8,000 yuan on September 30, 2017, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong.
The 50-year-old man was arrested on May 8, 2017, and tried on September 19. Judge Sun Guoli declined the defense lawyer's request to remove Mr. Zhang from his shackles, and he further ignored the lawyer when the latter protested the mistreatment.
The lawyer argued that Mr. Zhang had broken no law by practicing Falun Gong. He also pointed out the violations of legal procedures committed by the police and the Procuratorate. While meeting with Mr. Zhang on July 4, the lawyer learned that he had been interrogated twice but was not told the identities of the interrogators.
Prosecutor Liao Lu recommended a 6-7 year prison sentence, and judge Sun gave Mr. Zhang 4 years.
While Mr. Zhang remains detained, his elderly father, who had relied on him before his arrest, is left to fend for himself.
Participant in the persecution of Mr. Zhang:Pinggu District Court: +86-10-6996 2336
2. [Qingdao City, Shandong Province] Mr. Zhou Xing Detained
Mr. Zhou Xing from Jinzhou District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, was arrested in the Guzhenkou area of Qingdao City, Shandong Province, by officers from the Xiaokouzi Police Station, Dazhushan Town, Huangdao District, Qingdao City, on October 1, 2017. He is being held in the Huangdao Police Department's Lockup Center.
Participant in the persecution of Mr. Zhou:Wu Xiangkun (吴向昆), director of Xiaokouzi Police Station: +86-532-84128734
3. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Manfeng Given a Six-Month Prison Term
Ms. Zhao Manfeng from Fengtai Village, Nandulehe Town, Pinggu District, was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 2,000 yuan by the Pinggu District Court on September 30, 2017.
4. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Shuzhi and Family Arrested
Ms. Zhang Shuzhi, her daughter Ms. Hou Xiaoyan, her son Mr. Hou Jibin, her daughter-in-law Ms. Wang Weiping, and her non-practitioner younger sister Ms. Zhang Shulan, from the Guangxia Residential Community, Ranghulu District, were arrested by officers from the Daqing Police Department on October 10, 2017. Ms. Zhang, her daughter, and her sister are being held in the Harbin No. 2 Detention Center. Mr. Hou was taken to the Shangzhi Police Department. Ms. Wang was released.
5. [Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province] Mr. Lu Jingyuan Arrested
Mr. Lu Jingyuan was arrested in the residential community where he lives by officers from the Nanjing City Police Department, the Xuanwu District Police Department, and the Suojincun Police Station on the evening of October 10, 2017.
6. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Cong Lixia Detained
Ms. Cong Lixia from Daqing City was arrested at a checkpoint in the Harbin Train Station on the afternoon of October 9, 2017. She was brought back to Daqing by officers from the Wolitun Police Department, Daqing City, that evening. She was held in the Daqing Detention Center for five days.
7. [Helong City, Jilin Province] Ms. Feng Mei Arrested
Ms. Feng Mei, from the No. 9 Team, Erdao Village, Xicheng Town, was arrested at the Bajiazi Town farmers market by officers from the Xicheng Town Police Station and the Bajiazi Forestry Police Department on October 7, 2017.
8. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Xue Guorui Transferred to Dalian City Prison
Ms. Xue Guorui was transferred from the New Inmates Ward of the Liaoxi Prison to the Dalian City Prison.
9. [Foshan City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Yang Qiujuan and Family of Six Arrested
Ms. Yang Qiujuan and her family of six were arrested early on the morning of October 11, 2017.
10. [Zhashui County, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Li Meihua Arrested
Ms. Li Meihua from Liquan County was arrested by the Zhashui County Domestic Security Division and the Liquan County Police Department on the afternoon of October 11, 2017.
11. [Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Zeng Qingshan and Another Practitioner Arrested
Mr. Zeng Qingshan and another practitioner from Erdaowan Town, Fuyu County, were arrested on the morning of October 12, 2017. They were held in the local police station.
Participants in the persecution of the two practitioners:Dong Wei (董伟), officer: +86-15946283456Erdaowan Police Station: +86-452-3060030
12. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Xia Shiyuan Arrested
Ms. Xia Shiyuan was arrested at home by officers from the Jiudaoling Town Police Station, Yi County, on October 11, 2017.
Participants in the persecution of Ms. Xia:Gu Hongli (谷洪利), officer: +86-15641661392Liu Changcheng (刘长成): +86-13332188718
13. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Three Practitioners Sentenced
Three residents of Qinhuangdao City were sentenced to prison on October 10, 2017, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong.
Ms. Lu Jiarong, Ms. Liang Jun, and Mr. Bai Xuesong were arrested in August 2016. Police ransacked the residences of the three practitioners multiple times and confiscated their personal belongings.
The practitioners' case was returned to police several times, but the local court was pressured to try them on July 21, 2017. The defense lawyers entered not-guilty pleas for the practitioners. Their clients were convicted on October 10. Ms. Lu and Ms. Liang were each sentenced to 1.5 years in prison. Mr. Bai was given 1 year and 8 months. The judge had intended to fine Mr. Bai 10,000 yuan, but he relented upon resistance from Mr. Bai's family.
Mr. Bai appealed the sentence given to his wife in the sentencing hearing. Ms. Lu and Ms. Liang are in the process of filing appeals.
Two other local practitioners were also convicted. Ms. Ma Fengzhen was given 1 year and 4 months, and Ms. Feng Sulan 1 year. They are both appealing their cases.
14. [Huachuan County, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Liu Ziping Sentenced
Mr. Liu Ziping was sentenced to four years in prison on October 10, 2017. He filed an appeal the next day.
Mr. Liu was arrested on April 24, 2017 for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. His two lawyers defended his constitutional right to freedom of belief during the trial on September 20. The presiding judge followed the prosecutor's recommendation and handed down a 4-year prison term to Mr. Liu less than one month later.
Mr. Liu has become emaciated after months of detention.
15. [Zhenyuan County, Gansu Province] Ms. Qiang Weixiu Arrested
Ms. Qiang Weixiu was arrested on October 1, 2017, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. She is currently being held at the Zhenyuan County Detention Center.
This was not the first time that the 49-year-old woman was targeted for her faith. She has been arrested many times since the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999. She was twice given forced labor and was subjected to inhumane torture during each of her detentions.
16. [Gaizhou City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Dai Guilian Transferred to Prison
It was recently learned that Ms. Dai Gailian, who is serving 1.5 years for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, was convicted amidst the local court's violation of legal procedures.
Ms. Dai and her husband were arrested on June 28, 2016, while visiting her mother in Anshan City. They were taken to Youhao Police Station for interrogation. Her husband does not practice Falun Gong. Though he refused to curse at the founder of Falun Gong (a tactic used by police), he was later released.
Ms. Dai was transferred to Anshan City First Detention Center shortly afterward. The local Lishan District Court held a hearing on November 29, 2016, without informing her family. It is unclear whether she had legal representation.
Ms. Dai was given 1.5 years and admitted to Liaoning Women's Prison on February 28, 2017.
17. [Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province] Mr. Ding Xianyou Sentenced
Mr. Ding Xianyou was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison and is appealing his case.
Mr. Ding is a native of Funan County, Anhui Province and runs an electric bike shop in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. The shop was initially named "New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Electric Bike Shop," but the Huzhou police forced him to change the name because NTD is also the name of an overseas TV station known for broadcasting uncensored news about China, especially the persecution of Falun Gong.
The police established around-the-clock surveillance of Mr. Ding, knowing that he practices Falun Gong. They eventually arrested him on January 12, 2017 and told his family there would be no use in hiring a lawyer.
Mr. Ding was given prison sentence after a court hearing. He remains in Huzhou City Detention Center.
18. [Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Huang Licheng Transferred to Prison
A local man has been admitted to prison after his appeal against his conviction was turned down.
Mr. Huang Licheng, 62, was arrested on January 5, 2017, for distributing Falun Gong materials. He was tried on June 13 and sentenced to 3.5 years and fined 5,000 yuan on June 26.
Mr. Huang filed an appeal to the local Suihua Intermediate Court, but judge Zhang Wenquan refused to allow the lawyer to review the case file. Zhang ruled to uphold the conviction without holding a hearing as required by law.
Mr. Huang was transferred to Hulan Prison on September 27.
19. [Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province] Ms. Li Lanying Tortured in Prison
A Xingguo county resident serving time for her faith has been subjected to torture in prison on a regular basis.
Ms. Li Lanying, 59, was arrested in April 2015 for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. She was sentenced to 8 years in prison eight months later.
Guards at Jiangxi Province Women's Prison tortured Ms. Li with various means. They hung her up by one arm to a window frame, with her feet barely touching the ground. She passed out numerous times from the excruciating pain.
Ms. Li's left wrist festered after long periods of the single-arm hanging. She was often beaten and denied water and use of the restroom.
Guards Wu Jingming and Lu Yuan are the chief perpetrators. They often order inmates Yang Lihong, Huang Haizhen, and Yu Junyang to torture Ms. Li and other detained practitioners.
20. [Yinchuan City, Ningxia Autonomous Region] Mr. Xie Yiqing Appealed Again After His Sentence Increased
Mr. Xie Yiqiang’s family was notified on August 27, 2017, that his sentence had been increased from 2 years and 4 months to 3.5 years by the Yinchuan Intermediate Court. Mr. Xie was transferred to a prison admission center on September 13, 2017.
Mr. Xie has asked his family to appeal again. Yinchuan Intermediate Court accepted the appeal document filed by his family on November 11, 2017.
21. [Nancheng County, Jiangxi Province] Ms. Luo Jianrong Released After Four Years’ Imprisonment
Ms. Luo Jianrong was released from Jiangxi Women’s Prison around October 7, 2017.
Ms. Luo was arrested on October 8, 2013, sentenced to four years of imprisonment and transferred to Jiangxi Women’s Prison in March 2014.
During the detention in prison, Ms. Luo was forced to face a wall and stand for 1.5 years because she refused to do slave labor. A group of inmates beat her for four days because she refused to wear a prison uniform. She was forced to take medicine which damages the central nervous system for two months because she refused to be brainwashed and “transformed.”
