(Minghui.org) The authorities in Yushu City, Jilin Province have been arresting and harassing local Falun Gong practitioners since February 2023, prior to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s annual “two sessions” event.
The event is dubbed “two sessions” because both China’s legislative body, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and its top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), hold their annual meetings around the same time every year (though separately). This year’s CPPCC meeting began on March 4, and the NPC meeting started the following day.
Since the CCP ordered the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, the authorities have often intensified the harassment around major political meetings, in an attempt to prevent Falun Gong practitioners from speaking out.
As of March 14, Minghui.org has confirmed the arrests of 10 practitioners and another 36 harassment incidents in Yushu City. According to an insider, the police had a name list of over 1,000 Yushu practitioners for the latest round of harassment campaign. Due to strict information censorship, it’s not clear how many practitioners were actually harassed.
Below are the details of confirmed cases:
On February 19, 2023, officers of the Yushu City Domestic Security Office and Xinli Township Police Station arrested Ms. Wang Xiuzhi, Ms. Liu Shumin and Ms. Ma Lingxi. After a round of interrogation at the police station, Ms. Ma was released and the other two practitioners were taken to the local lockup.
Officers in two police cars showed up at Daxia’s (last name unknown) home in late February 2023. He was detained for two days and then released.
Another five practitioners, including Ms. Wang Shifen, Mr. Zhao Ximin, Ms. Guo Shuzhen, Ms. Zhang Qingrong and Ms. Wang Yulan, were harassed in late February. The police attempted to take their saliva samples.
Ms. Huang Yuru, in her 70s, was arrested at home on March 2 and held at the Yushu City Lockup for ten days.
Another group of officers broke into Ms. Li Yanhui’s home on March 6 and took away her Falun Gong books and cellphone. They brought her to the hospital for a physical and also took her photo and saliva sample. After one night at the Peiying Police Station, she was given seven days at the local lockup.
On March 8, several officers came in two cars to Ms. Dong Lihua and her sister Ms. Dong Lirong’s shared home. The officers pried open the lock, barged in, and searched everywhere. As they didn’t find any Falun Gong related items, one officer threatened the sisters with further persecution if they found any materials later on.
Mr. Hu Junshan was arrested at home on March 11. While the police released him hours later for him to take care of his elderly mother, they arrested his wife, Ms. Li Yazhen. She was taken to the hospital for a physical examination in the afternoon, held at the police station overnight and then given 13 days of detention.
Another two sisters, Ms. Zheng Lizhu and Ms. Zheng Liyan, were also arrested. Ms. Zheng Lizhu was kept in police custody and her sister was released due to her poor health.
Other harassed practitioners included Ma Lingxi, Zhang Huayun, Jiao Shoutong, Chen Shujie, Meng and his daughter, Zhang Liyan, Zhang Tianpeng, Bian Zhonghua, Wang Huazhen, Zhou Qijun, Dalan (last name unknown), Yan Shijun, Liu Shuzhen, Sun Qinghong, Sun Qingmin, Jiang Yuzhi, Jiang Guochang, Xiao Jingrong, Xu Yaxuan, Zhang Yujie, Zhao Liwen, Zhang Yinghua, Zhou Xiumei, Zhou Sulian, Shan Zhenquan, Gao Yunlan, Wang Fenglan and Han Xiaozhen.
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