(Minghui.org) More than 100 officers in Longkou City, Shandong Province were dispatched to arrest local Falun Gong practitioners at around 5 a.m. on May 9, 2023. The officers wore civilian clothes and drove their private cars to carry out the group arrest. They deceived the targeted practitioners into opening the door by claiming to be street committee staffers or downstairs neighbors whose ceilings were leaking.
According to insiders, the police had monitored the practitioners for at least six months before making the arrests. Many of the arresting officers are young people who had been misled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s slanderous propaganda against Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa. The CCP started to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999.
All the practitioners’ homes were raided, with the police searching every nook and cranny, even under the beds. A large amount of Falun Gong books, informational materials exposing the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong, and other valuables were confiscated. The practitioners reported that these plainclothes officers changed into police uniforms after taking them to their police stations.
At least 21 practitioners and two family members were arrested, and six of them remain detained.
The arrested included four married couples, two children of one of the couples, two sets of siblings, and nine other practitioners.
Married Couple and Their Two Children Arrested
Around ten officers broke into Mr. Wang Shude’s home in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City at around 5 a.m. on May 9 and spent more than an hour raiding his home. They confiscated his Falun Gong books, portrait of Master Li (founder of Falun Gong), and other valuables.
Mr. Wang, his wife, Ms. Zhang Shuqin, and their daughter, Ms. Wang Yang, were taken to Donglai Police Station for interrogation in three different cars. One officer questioned the family what the truth of Falun Gong was. Even before the family had a chance to respond, another officer said, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. Falun Gong is not a cult,” as a way to stop the practitioners from talking.
The police also showed the family the names of some other local practitioners and asked them if they knew them.
While Mr. Wang, Ms. Zhang, and their daughter were being arrested, other officers targeted their son, Mr. Wang Bo, who lives in a different apartment unit in the same building.
The younger Mr. Wang heard a knock on the door before 6 a.m. on May 9. The unexpected visitor claimed to be his downstairs neighbor whose ceiling was leaking and asked to go inside to take a look at his home. Mr. Wang opened the door, only to have six officers barge in. He demanded to see their IDs and search warrant. One of them showed him the documentation, and then Mr. Wang was restrained on a sofa.
The police confiscated a handwritten copy of Hong Yin, a copy of Disintegrating the Culture of the Chinese Communist Party, a hard drive Mr. Wang used for work, and a notebook. They also took him to Donglai Police Station.
At around 9 p.m. that night, his sister Ms. Wang was released, and he was given ten days of detention at Zhangjiagou Lockup in Longkou City. Their father and mother remain at Longkou City Detention Center and Yantai City Detention Center, respectively.
Longkou City is under the administration of Yantai City.
Married Couple Arrested, Elderly Parents Intimidated
Mr. Ren Tao and his wife, Ms. Yu Xiaomei, who live in the Longkou Economic Development Zone, were deceived into opening the door after 5-6 officers claimed to be their downstairs neighbor whose ceiling was leaking. They confiscated from the couple’s home more than 30 Falun Gong books before taking them to Mr. Ren’s Go Studio (Go is an abstract strategy board game), where the police confiscated two computers, USB flash drive, Falun Gong informational materials, and music player.
The couple was taken to Economic Development Zone Police Station. Mr. Ren was given criminal detention at Longkou City Detention Center and Ms. Yu at Yantai City Detention Center.
Ms. Yu’s elderly parents hired a lawyer for her and were harassed. The police went to the elderly couple’s home and asked them to identify a photo lineup of local practitioners. The police also questioned them about who helped them hire the lawyer, which practitioners visited them, and where they parked, in an attempt to arrest more local practitioners.
Mr. Ren was released on May 24, and his wife remains at Yantai City Detention Center.
Couple Arrested, Wife Detained for 19 Days
Ms. Wang Wenhua and her husband Mr. Li Yandong (who does not practice Falun Gong) live in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City. They were arrested by 5-6 officers on May 9. Their Falun Gong books and informational materials were confiscated. They were handcuffed and taken to Xinjia Police Station. Mr. Li was released on the same day, while Ms. Wang was released on bail on May 28 after 19 days at Yantai City Detention Center.
Couple Arrested, Wife Developed Heart Disease Symptoms in Detention
Mr. Hou Baicai and his wife, Ms. Wu Jingkun, who live in the Donghai Area of Longkou City, were arrested at home by eight men and one woman. The police flashed a blank search warrant and asked the couple if their apartment was unit 201 or 301. The couple suspected that the police had so many practitioners to arrest that they were confused about each one’s address.
The police confiscated the couple’s laptop, music player, six copies of Zhuan Falun (main teaching of Falun Gong), other teachings written by Master Li (founder of Falun Gong), Minghui Weekly and other informational materials, USB flash drives, memory cards, and calendars bearing information about Falun Gong.
They were taken to Zhuyou Police Station. Mr. Hou was released that night, and Ms. Wu was given criminal detention at Yantai City Detention Center. She developed symptoms of a heart disease and was released on May 23.
Two Sisters Arrested
The police confiscated Ms. Chen Guizhi’s child’s laptop and her husband’s cell phone. They took her to Nanshan Police Station. She was released the next day and put on six months of supervised residence. Officers threatened her not to go out and kept harassing her at home.
Her older sister, Ms. Chen Guifang, was also arrested on the same day while caring for their other sister, Ms. Chen Yan, who was recovering from a leg surgery.
Ms. Chen Guifang is being held at Yantai City Detention Center. Both she and Ms. Chen Guifang live in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City.
Brother and Sister Arrested
Mr. Sun Guangjun, a pilot by training, was sentenced to prison after being arrested in March 2006 for talking to people about Falun Gong. He was brutally tortured while serving time at the Bao’anzhao Prison in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. His head and body swayed from side to side uncontrollably. He had blank looks and could not talk or take care of himself. His family suspected he was injected with toxic drugs in prison. After he was released, he moved in with his older sister Ms. Sun Guangling (who does not practice Falun Gong), who lives in the Donghai Area of Longkou City, Shandong Province, so she could take care of him.
When the police broke in on May 9, Ms. Sun was so terrified that she exhibited heart disease symptoms. The police confiscated her brother’s laptop and Falun Gong books and threatened to sentence him again.
Because of his health, Longkou City Detention Center refused to take him. While the police released him and his sister that night, they returned to his home to ask him who bought him the laptop and who installed the operating system. They tracked his cell phone and found that he had been in touch with another practitioner, Mr. Jiang Weigang.
At 10 a.m. on May 26, three officers, including one surnamed Du, raided Mr. Jiang’s home and asked how he got to know Mr. Sun.
Nine Other Arrests
Ms. Ge Lijuan in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City was arrested on May 9 while visiting a friend who was ill. The police located her by tracking her phone. They next raided her home and confiscated her valuables. She is now held at Yantai City Detention Center.
Mr. Wang Zhoulin in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City was taken to Longkou City Detention Center after being arrested. The head inmate restricted his restroom use, and he had to relieve himself in his pants.
Ms. Wang Fengmei, 77, and Ms. Sun Shuhua, both also in the Nanshan Area of Longkou City, were released on the same day of their arrests due to their advanced age and frail health.
Ms. Yu Hua’s home in the Xiadingjia Area of Longkou City was raided by 5-6 officers. The police confiscated one Falun Gong book, three calendars, one speaker, and several copies of informational materials. Her husband stopped the police from taking her away, and the police called in 5-6 more officers. Together they seized Ms. Yu and took her to Xiadingjia Police Station. She was released at around 10 p.m. that night.
Ms. Zhang Lingfang, Ms. Li Fei, Ms. Wang Yanrong, and a practitioner surnamed Li in the Nanxingjia Area of Longkou City had their homes ransacked and Falun Gong books confiscated. They were then taken to Yantai City Detention Center. Ms. Zhang was released on the same day and Ms. Li the next day. Ms. Wang was released in mid-May and given house arrest.
Two Other Cases
When the police showed up at Mr. Wang Wenqiang’s home, he was still receiving treatment at Yuhuangding Hospital for a medical emergency. The police raided his home and confiscated all his Falun Gong books.
A practitioner surnamed Jiao has lost contact with his (or her) family since May. It is unclear whether s/he was arrested.
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