(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 16 cities or counties in 9 provinces, where at least 41 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Xiumei Arrested
2. [Shulan City, Jilin Province] At Least Six Practitioners Harassed and Three of Them Arrested
3. [Jiaohe City, Jilin Province] Ms. Liu Huijiang and Her Sister Arrested
4. [Xichang City, Sichuan Province] Four Practitioners Arrested
5. [Deyang City, Sichuan Province] Five Practitioners Arrested
6. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Four Practitioners Arrested
7. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Ms. Yao Guihua and Ms. Zhou Lizhi Arrested
8. [Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province] Several Practitioners Arrested
9. [Zhengzhou City, Henan Province] Ms. Ren Yanjun Tried
10. [Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province] Mr. Hong Chang Held in Detention Center
11. [Jingzhou City, Hubei Province] Ms. Shao Lian Held in Detention Center
12. [Macheng City, Hubei Province] Ms. Zeng Jinhuan Held in Detention Center
13. [Beipiao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Sun Xiujie Arrested
14. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Ren Shuqin and Ms. Liu Yanhong Detained
15. [Anshan City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Bai Xuesong’s Case Turned Over to Procuratorate
16. [Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Rongzhen Arrested

1. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Xiumei Arrested

Ms. Zhao Xiumei took a vacation at home on May 11, 2021. At 9 a.m. the director of her work unit called her, saying he needed to meet near her home and accompany her to get vaccinated.

When Ms. Zhao went downstairs, she saw officers from the Quanhe Police Station were also there. They refused to let her ask questions and rushed her to the hospital. They asked the hospital for her medical records, had hospital staff give her a physical examination, and a nucleic acid test.

When Ms. Zhao’s husband went to the hospital the officers lied to him and said that nothing would happen to his wife, he could go home, and they would let her return home shortly. Her husband believed them and went home. Ms. Zhao had still not returned home that afternoon. It was later learned that Ms. Zhao was taken into custody at the Shunyi Detention Center by the police station and her work unit.

2. [Shulan City, Jilin Province] At Least Six Practitioners Harassed and Three of Them ArrestedXu Ping (gender unknown) from Chuntian Village, Shujiao Township, was arrested on the morning of May 11, 2021. Further details are not available.

Ms. Wang Yanfen from Fenghuang Township was arrested on the evening of May 11.

The police knocked on the door at Ms. Niu Yuxia’s home several times around 10 p.m. on May 11. It was reported that they staked out overnight and left at around 10 a.m. the following day.

Eight or nine officers broke into 79-year-old Ms. Liu Shuqin’s home in Houshihe Village around 8 p.m. on May 11. They confiscated calendars, Chinese New Year paintings, photos of the founder of Falun Gong, and Falun Dafa books. They wanted to arrest Ms. Liu, but her family stopped them.

Then after 9 p.m., they went to Ms. Lian Shufang’s home in the same village. Only Ms. Lian and her 10-year-old granddaughter were at home. Eight officers carried her into the car and took away several personal items. Her granddaughter was frightened and cried all night. After her husband and son returned from out of town where they worked, they went to the Qili Police Station in Ping’an Town to inquire about Ms. Lian. The police said that they had no information about her.

Around 11 p.m. on May 12, officers from the Huancheng Police Station brought along a locksmith and opened the door of Mr. Yang Jianwei’s home. Mr. Yang was not at home. His wife, who was asleep, woke up and took out her cell phone to take pictures of the intruders. She asked them why they violated the law and broke in.

3. [Jiaohe City, Jilin Province] Ms. Liu Huijiang and Her Sister Arrested

Ms. Liu Huijiang and her sister were arrested at home around 9 p.m. on May 12, 2021. Ten days earlier, their father had just passed away. Their mother suffered from shrinking cerebellum.

The two sisters were released around 5 p.m. the following day.

4. [Xichang City, Sichuan Province] Four Practitioners Arrested

Plainclothes officers including Tian Donglin from the Xichang City State Security Division and over 10 officers from the Chuanxing Police Station went to a group Fa-study site on the afternoon of May 12, 2021. Mr. Luo Congwen, Ms. Wu Wenxiu, Wen, and Yang (first names and genders are unknown) were arrested and taken to the police station, where they were interrogated. Three practitioners were released around 5 p.m. Ms. Wu did not return to her home. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

5. [Deyang City, Sichuan Province] Five Practitioners Arrested

Mr. Ming Yuanlin, Ma Daiqin (gender unknown), Ms.Yang Dingqiong, Mr. Xu Anhui, and Luo Xingyu (gender unknown) from Mianzhu City were arrested by people under the joint command of the Mianzhu City State Security Division, Domestic Security Division, Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and Police Department. The arrests were made while the practitioners were talking to people about Falun Gong and distributing Falun Gong materials on the morning of May 10, 2021.

The five practitioners were taken to the Ziyan Police Station. They were all forced to undergo physical examinations. Their homes were ransacked that afternoon. When the officers ransacked Mr. Meng’s home, his wife, Ms. Zhao Huicheng, was at home. She was also arrested and taken to the police station. She was released at 2 a.m. on May 11.

Four practitioners were held in the Deyang City Detention Center. Mr. Luo’s whereabouts are unknown.

6. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Four Practitioners Arrested

Xie Shiying, Zhang Xunju, and Zhang’s family member Huang Huaizhou (their genders are unknown) from Xindu District were arrested at home by the SWAT Team around 6 a.m. on May 12, 2021. The home of Mr. Su Qinghua’s mother was also ransacked. Mr. Su was not at home. His non-practitioner younger brother was arrested.

7. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Ms. Yao Guihua and Ms. Zhou Lizhi Arrested

Ms. Yao Guihua and Ms. Zhou Lizhi from Lingzi Town, Zichuan District, were arrested by officers from the Shangjia Police Station, Wenchenghu District, around 9 a.m. on May 12, 2021. Ms. Yao was arrested in her barbershop. Ms. Zhou was arrested while working in a restaurant.

The officers tricked both practitioners into getting in the car to sign paperwork. When they got in the car, they were taken directly to the Zibo City No. 4 Hospital for physical examinations, blood tests, color Doppler ultrasounds and nucleic acid examinations. Ms. Yao did not cooperate. The officers dragged her by pulling on her hair and slapped her face three times. The officers handcuffed her, pushed her into a wheelchair, and made her undergo a medical examination.

Then, the officers took the two practitioners to the police station and forcibly took their fingerprints and photographed them. After 5 p.m., each practitioner was extorted 1,000 yuan for the medical examination fee, and they were taken home by their families. The police told them that they had to come to the station whenever they were called.

Ms. Yao and Ms. Zhou were reported to the police for talking to people about Falun Gong in Wenchanghu District on March 15, 2020. They were arrested by officers from the Shangjia Police Station. Their homes were ransacked. They were released on bail the following day.

8. [Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province] Several Practitioners Arrested

Before World Falun Dafa Day on May 13, 2021, the Suzhou City 610 Office stepped up the persecution. Around May 10, the 610 Office arrested Zhao Haibo (gender unknown), Ms. Mei Hongjuan, Ms. Wu Xiaoming, Cai Ping (gender unknown), Ms. Chang Jing (who lives by herself and people have lost contact with her). Other practitioners were also arrested. Due to difficulties in contacting them for confirmation, it was not clear who else has been arrested.

The persecution was also severe prior to this round of escalation. Ms. Ji Guizhen and Jin Changling (gender unknown) were sentenced. Ms. Yao Weimin was taken to a detention center. Several other practitioners are also facing court hearings.

9. [Zhengzhou City, Henan Province] Ms. Ren Yanjun Tried

Ms. Ren Yanjun, 79, was secretly tried by the Shangjie District Court at 2 p.m. on May 12, 2021. Family members were not allowed to attend the trial. Ms. Ren was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. The verdict has not been issued, and the court asked her to go home and wait for further notice.

10. [Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province] Mr. Hong Chang Held in Detention Center

Mr. Hong Chang was arrested by officers from the Shangtang Police Station. He is being held in the Gongshu District Detention Center.

11. [Jingzhou City, Hubei Province] Ms. Shao Lian Held in Detention Center

Ms. Shao Lian, 78, from Shashi District, was arrested again on April 29, 2021. She is being held in the Jingzhou District No. 1 Detention Center. She had been living under residential surveillance prior to the arrest.

12. [Macheng City, Hubei Province] Ms. Zeng Jinhuan Held in Detention Center

Ms. Zeng Jinhuan was arrested at home by officers from the local State Security Division, the 610 Office, and the Huangjinqiao Police Station on May 3, 2021. She has been held in the Hong’an Detention Center.

In the past few months, people have repeatedly harassed her family and confiscated her Falun Dafa books and photos of the founder of Falun Gong, among other personal belongings. In order to avoid further persecution Ms. Zeng left home and became displaced.

People who did not have legal paperwork, secretly monitored and followed her, and listened to her phone calls. She was arrested when she returned home during the May 1 holiday.

13. [Beipiao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Sun Xiujie Arrested

Ms. Sun Xiujie was arrested and her home was ransacked.

14. [Huludao City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Ren Shuqin and Ms. Liu Yanhong Detained

Ms. Ren Shuqin and Ms. Liu Yanhong from Mazhangfang Sub-district, Longgang District, were arrested by officers from the Zhanqian Police Station on May 10, 2021, for talking to people about Falun Gong. Their homes were ransacked. Both practitioners are being held in the Huludao Detention Center for 15 days of detention.

15. [Anshan City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Bai Xuesong’s Case Turned Over to Procuratorate

Mr. Bai Xuesong’s case was turned over to the Lishan District Procuratorate.

16. [Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Rongzhen Arrested

Ms. Zhang Rongzhen was reported to the police by a student while talking to people about Falun Gong on April 27, 2021. Officers from the Dongguan Police Station, Hantai District, grabbed her bag and photographed her. They took Ms. Zhang to the police station and body searched her. They got her home address from her senior citizen ID card, went to her home, and ransacked the place. They confiscated her Falun Dafa books. Ms. Zhang was interrogated. At 10 p.m. the officers told her to call her family. Her family was forced to sign paperwork before she was allowed to return home.