Persecution of Practitioners in Shiyan City, Hubei Province in July and August of 2008

In July and August of 2008, officers from the Shiyan City Police Department in Hubei Province persecuted practitioners and ransacked their homes, using "maintaining security for the Olympics" as an excuse.

Around June 19th, 2008, practitioner Ms. Liu Haiyan, a teacher, was arrested and detained because she allegedly distributed and posted Falun Gong leaflets exposing the persecution and was caught on a security camera. The police tried to force her to renounce Falun Gong by saying that the bonuses of all the teachers in her school would be cut if she refused.

Mr. Wang Delin, about 38 years old, lives in the residential area inside the Shiyan City Experimental Elementary School in Hubei Province. In 2004, Mr. Wang and his wife Ms. He Jiao, a teacher, played a Falun Gong video at the Shiyan City Experimental Elementary School, and they were reported to authorities. Mr. Wang managed to escape but had to become homeless to avoid further persecution. Ms. He was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison.

On July 6th, 2008, Mr. Wang went to meet his wife but was reported to authorities. Over 20 police officers from the Shiyan Police Department went to Zhengzhou City, Henan Province and arrested Mr. Wang. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Mr. Wu Minjin and his wife Ms. Chen Xuyun, an employee of Yunyang Medical College, are both Falun Gong practitioners from Shiyan City. On July 31st, 2008, they were arrested and detained because they practise Falun Gong and explained the facts about Falun Gong to people. They were sent to a brainwashing centre. Their father, who is over 80 years old, is the only person left to take care of a two-year-old grandson. The family lives in great financial difficulty.

In July of 2008, Xue Xueyun from Shiyan City was arrested and sent to the brainwashing centre. Xue Xueyun was brutally tortured and left in very bad shape. Xue Xueyun was taken back home and sent to the hospital for treatment.

Between July 30th, 2008 and August 2nd, 2008, Li Xinyi, Wang Guanzhi and four other practitioners from Yun County, Hubei Province were arrested and sent to the brainwashing centre for further persecution.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/8/9/183730.html