(Clearwisdom.net) Husband and wife practitioners Mr. Zhang Yunqing and Ms. Gong Shulan from Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia, have been subjected to persecution repeatedly. Mr. Zhang was illegally arrested on July 12, 2010, and their home was ransacked by police.

1. Mr. Zhang Yunqing Detained, Money Extorted

Mr. Zhang Yunqing, 67, a retired cadre from Dongdiansi Company of Tongliao City, has practiced Falun Gong for over five years and his severe heart disease disappeared through the practice.

While distributing Falun Gong truth-clarification materials in Daode Village, Kailu County, on July 12, 2010, Mr. Zhang was deceived by a person who pretended to be a taxi driver and reported him to the police. When Mr. Zhang got into this person's car, three officers from Kailu County suddenly arrived and arrested him.

Officers also arrested practitioner Ms. Jia Yanping and another female practitioner, who were standing nearby. Mr. Zhang and the two female practitioners were dragged into the police car and taken to the county's Dongfeng Police Station. They were later taken to the Kailu County Detention Center.

Zhou De, the team leader of the Domestic Security Division of the Kailu County Detention Center, interrogated Mr. Zhang. When Mr. Zhang did not answer his questions, Zhou De slapped him in the face, kicked him in the right leg, dragged him by the hair, slammed him against the wall, hit him on the head with a foot-long steel rod, and then tightly handcuffed him to a metal pipe.

The lead guard at the detention center ordered three criminal inmates to keep Mr. Zhang awake, saying that they would be punished if they let him fall asleep.

Mr. Zhang was transferred to another cell the next day. When eight other inmates in that cell learned that he was detained because of practicing Falun Gong, they showed their admiration by giving him a good sleeping space with a quilt and a worn-out winter coat that was used as a pillow.

The Kailu County Police Department and the Domestic Security Division of Tongliao City extorted 9,000 yuan from Zhang's family before releasing him on the third day.

Mr. Zhang was previously reported to the police while posting Falun Gong truth-clarification materials in January 2007. At that time, two policemen from Tongliao City followed him home, forced their way in and searched the apartment without showing a warrant or their IDs. However, they were not able to find any incriminating evidence and had to leave.

2. Mr. Zhang's Wife, Ms. Gong Shulan, Also Persecuted

Mr. Zhang's wife, Ms. Gong Shulan, 65, a retiree from Dongdiansi Company of Tongliao City, began to practice Falun Gong in 1998. She regained good health through the practice and also learned how to read by studying Falun Gong books. She has suffered much persecution from the local Street Association and the local branch of Tongliao City's police department since 1999.

On July 12, 2010, Ms. Gong ran into officials Wang Fengchun and Wu Guiyuan from the Dongdian District outside her home. While they distracted her with conversation, three female and four male police officers, including Baojirimutu, Ma Ying and Shi Yaxian among others, forced their way into Ms. Gong's home and proceeded to search and ransack the house. The officers were led by Wang Bo from the Domestic Security Division of Ke District of Tongliao City. Officers pried open the safe that they found under the bed and confiscated Falun Gong materials and other personal property worth over 800 yuan.

Since the July 12 arrest, officers have continued to park outside the couple's home and monitor Mr. Zhang and Ms. Gong on a daily basis.