(Minghui.org) Eleven residents of Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, were arrested between September 18 and 24, 2019 for their faith in Falun Gong. In addition, seven more practitioners in the city were recently confirmed to have been arrested in September 2019, bringing the total number of arrests to 18. Three other practitioners were reported to have been harassed during the month as well.
The arrests and harassment of Falun Gong practitioners came shortly before the Chinese communist regime's 70th anniversary, as the authorities ramp up the persecution in order to “maintain stability” and prevent the practitioners from speaking out for their faith during the regime's National Day celebration on October 1.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999.
Below are details of the arrests of the 18 practitioners and the harassment of the three additional practitioners.
Ms. Gao Liyuan and Ms. He (given name unknown) in Kangping County were arrested on September 5 after being reported for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong.
Ms. Gao was taken to Shenyang City Detention Center around 7 pm that day. Ms. He was released.
Mr. Wang Junzhou, a resident of Binhai New District, was also arrested on September 5 after he got off from work. One practitioner who had frequent contact with him, whose name is unknown, was arrested as well.
On September 18, 2019, a practitioner surnamed Liu in Shenhe District was arrested.
Three days later, Mr. Liu Yongjian, a 54-year-old taxi driver also in Shenhe District, was arrested at his home. The police ransacked his residence and confiscated his Falun Gong-related materials.
His wife, who doesn't practice Falun Gong, was taken to the police station for interrogation. She was released later that evening.
Mr. Liu is currently held at Dadong District Detention Center.
Mr. Zhang Shusen and his wife, who doesn't practice Falun Gong, were arrested and had their home ransacked around 5 pm on September 23. His wife was released around 10 pm that night.
Ms. Mai Xiufen, from Huanggu District, was arrested and had her home ransacked around 6:30 pm on the same day.
Mr. Wang Qiang and his wife Ms. Lu Sha, both around 65 and from Yuhong District, were arrested by officers from Huangfu District Police Department in the evening.
Ms. Zhao Guiqin, in her 60s and from Dadong District, were arrested by officers from Sandongqiao Police Station. Her older sister and Ms. Li Xiujie, who happened to be visiting Ms. Zhao, were also arrested. The police confiscated Ms. Zhao's Falun Gong books and related materials.
Ms. Zhao's incapacitated adult child, who was arrested at the same time, later became ill at the the police station. Only then were Ms. Zhao and her child released. At the time of writing, Ms. Zhao is still under house arrest.
Ms. Zhao's sister and Ms. Li are currently held at Shenyang City No.1 Detention Center. It was reported that Ms. Zhao's sister is suffering from a heart condition at the detention center.
Ms. Shang Xia, 57, was arrested at her mother's home in Tiexie District. The police also went to her home and ransacked her place.
Ms. Wang Yan, in her 60s and from Dadong District, was arrested at 10 am on September 24 by officers from Maguanqiao Police Station. She was denied admission by Shenyang City Detention Center due to her physical condition and was released around midnight.
Mr. Yao Zhenrong, 79 and from Huanggu District, was arrested on the evening of September 24. The police ransacked his home. He is currently held at Huanggu District Detention Center.
Ms. Wang Guiqing and Ms. Ma Guilan, both residents of Kangping County, were arrested around 10 am on September 30 after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. They were taken to Shenyang City Detention Center around 6 pm that day.
The three practitioners who were harassed in September include Ms. Qi Suyuan's younger sister, who was targeted on September 17; Ms. Meng Fengqiu, who was harassed on September 26; and Ms. Qing Xiuying, who was harassed on September 27.