(Clearwisdom.net) Since May 2008, government officials from Pingshan County, Hebei Province have severely persecuted practitioners in the name of protecting the Olympics. Many practitioners have been harassed, arrested and sentenced to forced labor, and had their homes ransacked.

On the morning of May 6, 2008, when Mr. Shi Liangming and Ms. Cao Mingru from Tianxing Village, Dawu Township, Pingshan County were distributing Falun Gong materials in Gangnan Town, they were reported to the police. The director of Gangnan Town Police Station, Du Zhiguo, and other police officers arrested the practitioners and sent them to the Pingshan County Police Department. That afternoon, they were transferred to the Pingshan County Detention Center. Two weeks later, they were sentenced to forced labor. Mr. Shi was sentenced to one year and three months of forced labor, and Ms. Cao Mingru was sentenced to one year. On May 21, 2008, they were sent to the Shijiazhuang City Forced Labor Camp. Between May 6 and May 21, 2008, Feng Qingfang, section chief of the Pingshan County Police Department Politics and Security Section, and police officers Hu Yuetao and Xiao Suilong ransacked their home twice.

On the morning of May 6, 2008, the following officers went to Mr. Li Binggang's home at Hongzidian Village in Guyue Town: Chen Erjun, deputy director of the Pingshan County Police Department in charge of the persecution of Falun Gong; police officer Xiao Suilong; Wang Minghui, director of the Guyue Town Police Station; police officers Li Zhengming, Li Zangzang, Yan Yuehua, and Qi Shuying; and Jiao Yanming, deputy mayor of Guyue Town, Pingshan County. The officers tore down Mr. Li's satellite dish, ransacked his home and confiscated a notebook computer, a printer and other Falun Gong materials. Mr. Li was then arrested and detained at the Pingshan County Police Department. He was later sentenced to forced labor.

On the morning of July 8, 2008, over a dozen people including Zhao Erzhong, director of the Mengjiazhuang Town Police Station, several police officers, and officials from the Mengjiazhuang Town Government went to Ms. Zhao Jinlian's home in Shangzhuang Village, Mengjiazhuang Town. Ms. Zhao's home was ransacked twice. Her satellite dish was torn down and officers confiscated Falun Gong books. They tried to force Ms. Zhao to write a guarantee statement renouncing Falun Gong, but she refused. She was then sent to the Pingshan County Police Department and detained in the detention center. On July 11, 2008, Ms. Zhao was sent to the Shijiazhuang City Forced Labor Camp.

On July 13, 2008, officials from the Dawu Township government in Pingshan County and the Dawu Township Police Station went to Xudaqi Village, Tianxin Village and Xiyanxing Village to harass practitioners. They also confiscated Falun Gong books and other materials.

On the morning of July 20, 2008, police officers from the Pingshan County Police Department and officers Zhang Wensheng and Yongsheng from the Wangpo Police Station went to practitioner Gao Baidan's home. They ransacked the house and confiscated Falun Gong books. They also went to practitioner Liu Rongye and Kang Lingyou's homes in Taolin Village, Pingshan County. There they confiscated Falun Gong books and materials, and tore down the satellite dish. Practitioner Kang Guoxian's home was also ransacked, and Falun Gong books and a picture of the founder of Falun Gong were confiscated. Practitioners Liu Yerong, Kang Linyou and Kang Guoxian were arrested and taken to the Wangpo Police Station. They were released in the afternoon.

On the morning of July 21, 2008, officials from the Pingshan County 610 Office, the Pingshan County Police Department and the Pingshan County Broadcast and Television Bureau went to various practitioners' homes in Zhongbailou Village and Beibailou Village. The officers tore down their satellite dishes and ransacked their homes. They arrested Ms. Liu Xinli, wife of Mr. Gao Dongdong. At about the same time, officials from the Pingshan County 610 Office, the Pingshan County Police Department, the Pingshan County Broadcast and Television Bureau, and the Dawu Township Government went to Daqi Village and tore down practitioners' satellite dishes. Wang Gengting, director of the Pingshan County 610 Office, Feng Qingfang from the Pingshan County Police Department, and Hou Binsuo and Yu Huizhao from the Pingshan County Broadcast and Television Bureau participated in this illegal activity.

On the morning of July 22, 2008, police from the the Dawu Township Police Station and officials from the Dawu Township Government came to Xiyanxing Village, where they ransacked practitioners' homes. On July 23, 2008, officials from the Pingshan County 610 Office and the Pingshan County Police Department arrested practitioner Ms. Su Mingxia from Zhongbailou Village. Ms. Su's whereabouts are currently unknown.

By July 26, 2008, six practitioners were being held in detention. Dozens of practitioners had been harassed and their homes ransacked.

In the nine years that Falun Gong has been persecuted, five practitioners in Pingshan County have died as a result of the persecution. Nine practitioners have been sentenced to jail, and more than twenty practitioners have been sentenced to forced labor. Many others have been detained or sent to brainwashing centers. Some have been subjected to brutal torture, and some have had large sums of money extorted from them.