(Minghui.org) Today’s news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 10 cities or counties in 5 provinces, where at least 17 practitioners were recently persecuted for their belief.

1. [Tianjin] Mr. Zhu Gang and Mr. Liu Liankun Abused in Prison
2. [Gaomi City, Shandong Province] Five Practitioners Sentenced to Prison
3. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Wang Lin Arrested
4. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Qi Held in Custody; Ms. Deng Guiru Arrested
5. [Linjiang City, Jilin Province] Mr. Liu Hongcai Arrested
6. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Ms. Ni Harassed
7. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] The Cases Against Ms. Xiu Yan and Ms. Xiu Jing Turned Over to Procuratorate
8. [Lanzhou City, Gansu Province] Mr. Jia Jianhuai Tried
9. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Dong Heying Harassed
10. [Linxia City, Gansu Province] Mr. Li Xueyi Arrested

1. [Tianjin] Mr. Zhu Gang and Mr. Liu Liankun Abused in Prison

Since the end of January 2023, Binhai Prison has abused Mr. Zhu Gang and Mr. Liu Liankun. The practitioners were only allowed to sleep for a few hours and their access to the restroom was restricted. They were also made to stay in freezing temperatures.

2. [Gaomi City, Shandong Province] Five Practitioners Sentenced to Prison

Five practitioners were tried by Gaomi City Court on March 24, 2023. After the collegial panel discussed their cases, the practitioners were sentenced at 9 a.m. on April 14.

Ms. Sun Peiying was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and fined 4,000 yuan. Ms. Chi Guilan was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and fined 4,000 yuan. Ms. Liu Zhaoqing was sentenced to one year and two months in prison and fined 3,000 yuan. Ms. Chen Xiulan was sentenced to one year and two months in prison and fined 3,000 yuan. The four practitioners were taken to the Weifang City Detention Center.

Ms. Ma Shuyan was sentenced to one year in prison, with one year of probation, and fined 2,000 yuan.

3. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Wang Lin Arrested

Mr. Wang Lin was arrested and his home was ransacked by officers from the High-tech Police Department in the early hours of March 23, 2023. He was officially placed under arrest on April 13. He is being held in the Jinzhou City Detention Center.

4. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Qi Held in Custody; Ms. Deng Guiru Arrested

Ms. Liu Qi, 78, from Chaoyang District, was arrested at home on February 15, 2023. It was reported that she was held in a prison in the Tiantanghe area, Daxing District.

Ms. Liu was arrested by plainclothes officers while she was distributing Falun Gong materials in 2018 and was sentenced by Chaoyang District Court for not giving up practicing Falun Gong. She was released on bail due to her physical condition. After she was released on bail, people from the local police station and sub-district administration office frequently harassed her. These people tried to force her to give up practicing Falun Gong and to write the three statements renouncing her belief.

In addition, Ms. Deng Guiru was arrested on February 7 and has now returned home.

5. [Linjiang City, Jilin Province] Mr. Liu Hongcai Arrested

Mr. Liu Hongcai was arrested at home by four people, who claimed to be from the community management office, on April 7, 2023. He has not yet returned.

6. [Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province] Ms. Ni Harassed

Ms. Ni, 78, from Haigang District, was arrested by officers from the Caigezhuang Police Station in Beidaihe District six months ago for telling people about Falun Gong. On March 3, 2023, the police station director and others went to her home. They presented an edited “list” of items confiscated at her home six months ago (after they changed the description of some items). They told her to sign it, which she refused.

On March 11, the two police officers returned and told her to sign the list. She refused.

7. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] The Cases Against Ms. Xiu Yan and Ms. Xiu Jing Turned Over to Procuratorate

When Ms. Xiu Jing from Fumin Residential Community in Erdao District left home to go to work on February 22, 2023, she was arrested by officers from the Balipu Police Station in the corridor outside her apartment. These people later arrested Ms. Xiu Yan in the same community. After the two practitioners were detained for 15 days, the officers told them to write three statements to give up practicing Falun Gong, which they refused.

The officers pressured their family members into writing statements, claiming it was a prerequisite for their release. Instead, the officers used their family members’ statements against the two practitioners. Ms. Xiu Yan was transferred to the Weizigou Detention Center. Due to her health, Ms. Xiu Jing was transferred to the Changchun Central Hospital. Their cases have been turned over to Chaoyang District Procuratorate.

8. [Lanzhou City, Gansu Province] Mr. Jia Jianhuai Tried

On April 7, 2023, Mr. Jia Jianhuai was tried in court, and the court was adjourned that day. No verdict was pronounced.

9. [Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Ms. Dong Heying Harassed

Party secretary Sun Jianshuang of Dongshan Nanguili Community in Kaiping District led three people from the community, together with three or four officers from the Malu Police Station, to ransack 79-year-old Ms. Dong Heying’s home on the morning of March 28, 2023. They confiscated a large box of Falun Gong materials, five copies of Zhuan Falun, several recent writings of the founder of Falun Gong, two audio recorders, DVDs of lectures given by Falun Gong’s founder, DVDs with information about Falun Gong, a list of 50 to 60 people who quit the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, and nearly 200 yuan in cash.

10. [Linxia City, Gansu Province] Mr. Li Xueyi Arrested

Mr. Li Xueyi, from Linxia City, Gansu Province, was reported to the police for distributing information about Falun Gong. He was arrested by the police in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, on April 1, 2023.