Before the Olympics Torch Relay reached Jilin Province on July 15th, 2008, the authorities intensified the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. They arrested many practitioners and did not spare anyone, not even practitioners in their 70s.
At 11 p.m. on July 13th, 2008, Jilin City Police Department in Jilin Province sent out at least four police cars and a van to forcefully take away Falun Gong practitioners. The practitioners arrested included Mr. Li Zhanxin in his 70s, his wife Feng Fengyun (age 71) as well as their son Mr. Li Wenjun (age 42).
It was reported that Mr. Li Wenjun is currently being incarcerated at the No. 3 Detention Centre of Jilin City. The older couple Li Zhanxin and Feng Fengyun are being detained in a brainwashing class close to Unit 250. As there was more than one location for brainwashing classes, the exact location is unknown.
Li Zhanxin's daughter came home and saw that their house had been ransacked and vandalized. Even the bed had been taken apart. The computer, Falun Gong books, and some leaflets exposing the persecution of Falun Gong were missing. In the corridor she saw a slipper belonging to her brother. The daughter then went to Gaoxin Police Station to ask the whereabouts of her family members. The police claimed that they did not know and pushed the blame onto the street administration committee.
According to Li Zhanxin's neighbours, a few days ago the police had called him. The neighbour said that Li Zhanxin and his wife were law-abiding and did not go out often. However this law-abiding family was arrested in the middle of the night and had their home ransacked and property confiscated simply because of their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
On the same night at 1 a.m., the police also stormed into the home of practitioner Ms. Zhang Guirong. Zhang Guirong was arrested and her Falun Gong books were taken. She did not cooperate thus the police tried to exploit her son and daughter-in-law by coercing them to write a guarantee letter1. They insisted that the couple promise that during the Olympic Torch Relay they will not allow their Ms. Zhang to leave the house. The threatened that if she is caught outside her home, all the three of them will be arrested.
Ms. Zhang Guirong is sixty-seven years old. Before practising Falun Gong, she had numerous illnesses and suffered severely. She was unable to do any housework and needed the care of her children. After practising Falun Gong for merely a few months, she recovered from all her illnesses and started to babysit her grandchild. She could also take her grandchild to and from school. As the Falun Gong books were all taken away, she was heartbroken and upset that she was denied her right to freedom of belief.
Note
1. "Guarantee Statement": A statement to declare that one is remorseful for practising Falun Gong and guarantees not to practise Falun Gong again, not to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Gong practitioners.
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/7/19/182359.html
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