(Clearwisdom.net) There have been numerous recent reports of the persecution of practitioners in China. The Chinese Communist government promised the world that they would improve human rights status in China for the Olympics. They didn't fulfill their promise; instead, they tightened their controls and increased the persecution and threats to Chinese citizens. The following incident is just one example.

On July 18, 2008, officers from the Dafengying Township Police Station, Justice Bureau and the township government illegally searched several practitioners' homes in Shenzhou City, Hebei Province. Led by the deputy chief officer of the township, Zhang Manzhen, Fu Guangyue (from Fujiazhuang Village, Dafengying Township) and police chief Ge Tiancong, groups of six or more government agents searched the homes of over one hundred practitioners.

At each home, the agents checked the rooftop for the presence of a satellite dish. Then they ransacked every room, looking for Falun Gong books or truth-clarification materials. If they found anything, they extorted money from the practitioner (fines of between 7,000 to 10,000 yuan). Practitioners unable to pay the fines were arrested. When the agents could not find any materials, they questioned practitioners as to whether they still practiced Falun Gong.

The agents also went to other cities to search practitioners' homes. Government agents drove to the practitioners' work places and forced them to to return to their homes. Only after these practitioners were subjected to extortion were they allowed to return to work. All practitioners were forced to turn in their Identification cards (ID) to the local police station. Additionally, the township officials required "key practitioners" to report to their villages' party committee office three times a day.

On July 28, the government agents launched a second round of searches of all practitioners' homes. They claimed that someone reported to the authorities that truth-clarification materials had been distributed.

Presently, the homes of over one hundred practitioners have been searched. At least one practitioner was arrested, and 6 others were victims of extortion.

During the Olympics, the Chinese government asked people to carry their ID cards with them whenever they left their homes. At the same time, the government took away practitioners' ID cards, so the practitioners were confined to their homes.

Contact information for the chief of the Dafengying Township Police Station, Shenzhou City, Hebei Province, Ge Tiancong: phone number is of his parents' home: 86-318-3520787.