(Minghui.org) Nine Falun Gong practitioners in Dandong City, Liaoning Province, were arrested for their faith prior to the Chinese New Year and unable to reunite with their families.
One practitioner has already been sentenced and is awaiting a ruling on her appeal. The other eight practitioners are now awaiting verdicts or facing trial.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Below are more details about the nine practitioners.
Ms. Wan Guirong was arrested on June 27, 2019 after being reported for handing out informational materials about Falun Gong. She appeared in Zhen’an District Court on November 4, 2019 and was sentenced to two years on November 24. She appealed the verdict to Dandong City Intermediate Court, which has yet to issue a ruling.
Ms. Liu Yinfeng was arrested on May 30, 2018 at a farmers’ market. The police said that someone had reported her for distributing Falun Gong informational materials to shoppers.
Ms. Liu was tried on January 9, 2019. Her two lawyers defended her innocence, as no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong.
Ms. Liu is now awaiting verdict at Dandong Detention Center. She went on two hunger strikes to resist the persecution. She started coughing, vomited blood, and was in a confused state. She was recently diagnosed with gallstones.
Ms. Jiang Fengli was arrested on October 14, 2019 and is now held in Dandong Detention Center. Prior to the arrest, the police harassed her on September 18. They took pictures of her home and returned the next day to collect her blood sample and fingerprints.
Ms. Yin Wenxiang was arrested at home on November 11, 2019. The police confiscated her Falun Gong books, computer, and printer, as well as 4,000 yuan in cash.
Ms. Xin Hong and Ms. Zhao Shuhua, who happened to be visiting Ms. Yin, were also arrested. While ransacking Ms. Xin Hong’s home, the police also arrested her sister, Ms. Xin Bo.
Although Ms. Xin Hong and Ms. Zhao were released on November 26, Ms. Xin Bo and Ms. Yin remain in custody. The police have submitted their cases to Zhen’an District Procuratorate.
Ms. Zheng Guixiang was arrested on November 20, 2019 while talking to people about Falun Gong at a wholesale market. The police submitted her case to the Dandong Procuratorate.
Mr. Ju Shimiao, Ms. Sun Zhongqin, and Ms. Tong Xiuhong were arrested on December 8, 2019, also for talking to people about Falun Gong. The police ransacked their homes and confiscated their cars, Falun Gong materials, and other personal belongings. Ms. Sun and Ms. Tong were transferred to Dandong Detention Center. Mr. Ju was taken to Fengcheng Detention Center.
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