(Minghui.org) Today's news from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 12 cities or counties in 8 provinces. According to this report, 6 Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention, and at least 18 were illegally arrested.

1. [Dehui City, Jilin Province] Ms. Wang Ping and Mr. Shao Fangdong Arrested
2. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Zhao Yujie Arrested
3. [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Kong Qingchun and Ms. Fang Caixia's Appeals Denied
4. [Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province] Three Practitioners Being Persecuted
5. [Morin Dawa, Inner Mongolia] Six Practitioners Detained
6. [Donggang City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Ning Shurong Being Harassed
7. [Yulin City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Cuifang and Her daughter Arrested
8. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Shuling Sentenced
9. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Yanmei Sentenced
10. [Yinchuan City, Ningxia Province] Mr. Xie Yiqiang’s Appeal Hearing Held
11. [Tieling City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Xie Shuren Released After Serving 8 Months’ Prison Term
12. [Yiyang City, Hunan Province] Mr. Liang Jianguo Sentenced
13. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Liu Hui Tried

1. [Dehui City, Jilin Province] Ms. Wang Ping and Mr. Shao Fangdong Arrested

Ms. Wang Ping was arrested in High-Speed Rail Station security check point after agents found Falun Gong amulets in her bag. Police ransacked her home and arrested her husband, Mr. Shao Fangdong. Their whereabouts are unknown.

2. [Changchun City, Jilin Province] Ms. Zhao Yujie Arrested

Ms. Zhao Yujie was arrested in Gongzhuling City on July 30, 2017.

3. [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Kong Qingchun and Ms. Fang Caixia's Appeals Denied

Mr. Kong Qingchun and Ms. Fang Caixia's appeals were denied by judge Yin Chuanmao of Dalian City Middle Court on July 25, 2017. They were sentenced to four years each.

4. [Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province] Three Practitioners Being Persecuted

Mr. Hu Wushuan of Maiping Village was arrested by officers from Xiaofan Police Station on June 23, 2017. He was detained for 20 days at Taiyuan City Detention Center.

Ms. Liu Jinxiang, Mr. Yang Bin, and Mr. Hu Wushuan are held at Cai Village Brainwashing Center in Jianshaoping District.

5. [Morin Dawa, Inner Mongolia] Six Practitioners Detained

Mr. Li Jiucheng, Mr. Wang Daicai, Ms. Lu Huichang, Mr. Li Jiulong, Ms. Kang Lijing, and Mr. Ao Ronghua were arrested on July 27, 2017. Mr. Li Jiucheng, Mr. Wang, and Ms. Lu were held at out of town detention centers. The others were held at Morin Dawa Detention Center. Police confiscated their printers, computers, DVD writers, EVD, cell phones, Falun Gong books, cash, and other personal items.

Parties involved in persecuting them:Yu Zhaiguo (于再国), secretary, Morin Dawa Politics and Legal Affairs Committee: +86-470-4613717Guo Jinsheng (郭金生), director, Morin Dawa Police Department: +86-470-4613876, +86-470-4613571, +86-18804708887 (Cell)Morin Dawa 610 Office: +86-470-4622610，+86-470-4626282Tan Jingyou (谭景友), chief, Domestic Security Division: +86-18504703835

6. [Donggang City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Ning Shurong Being Harassed

Ms. Ning Shurong was harassed at home by two officers from Majiadian Town Police Station on August 1, 2017. The officers ransacked her home, seized her Falun Gong books, and threatened to arrest her.

Parties involved in persecuting Ms. Ning:Guan Xiaodong (管晓东), director, police station: +86-13942501234Zhan Zhongshan (战忠山), deputy director: +86-13941501790

7. [Yulin City, Shaanxi Province] Ms. Zhang Cuifang and Her daughter Arrested

Ms. Zhang Cuifang was arrested on July 31, 2017. Her daughter was called to police station the next day and never returned.

8. [Beijing] Ms. Zhao Shuling Sentenced

Ms. Zhao Shuling was sentenced to 1 year in prison and fined 1,000 yuan on June 28, 2017 for distributing Falun Gong materials.

The 66-year-old woman was arrested on September 22, 2016, and first appeared in court on January 16, 2017. It's learned that she has been moved to Beijing Third Detention Center on July 25, 2017, to serve her term after being sentenced.

This is not the first time that Ms. Zhao has been targeted for her faith. She was given two years of forced labor on May 22, 2008.

9. [Beijing] Ms. Liu Yanmei Sentenced

Ms. Liu Yanmei was sentenced to 4 years in prison on July 27, 2017.

The 50-year-old woman was arrested on November 29, 2016 for inviting the public to attend a trial of Falun Gong practitioners. Police targeted her because she is also a Falun Gong practitioner.

Ms. Liu was tried on July 6, 2017, and her lawyer defended her innocence. The presiding judge convicted her weeks later.

10. [Yinchuan City, Ningxia Province] Mr. Xie Yiqiang’s Appeal Hearing Held

An appeals hearing was held on July 27, 2017, in the trial of Mr. Xie Yiqiang, a senior engineer at a special equipment inspection facility.

Mr. Xie, 53, was arrested on September 4, 2016, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. He was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months on April 21, 2017.

During the appeals hearing, Mr. Xie's lawyer reiterated the fact that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and that his client should never have been prosecuted. Mr. Xie had prepared a written statement but was stopped after reading just the opening section.

Mr. Xie remains detained since his arrest.

11. [Tieling City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Xie Shuren Released After Serving 8 Months’ Prison Term

Mr. Xin Shuren was arrested on November 11, 2016, for distributing Falun Gong materials. He was tried on March 21, 2017, and later sentenced to 8 months in prison.

He was released on July 10, 2017, after finishing his prison term.

12. [Yiyang City, Hunan Province] Mr. Liang Jianguo Sentenced

Mr. Liang Jianguo was sentenced to five years in prison for refusing to renounce Falun Gong. He is appealing his sentence.

Mr. Liang was arrested on June 20, 2017. He went on a hunger strike in protest and was force-fed brutally. His health quickly declined and he was rushed to hospital, where he was shackled and watched around the clock. His family noted he had lost a significant amount of weight and also vomited blood from time to time.

When Mr. Liang was tried on July 28, his family and supporters were barred from entering the courtroom. His lawyers defended his constitutional right to freedom of belief and refuted the questionable prosecution evidence.

The presiding judge sentenced Mr. Liang to five years at the end of the hearing.

13. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Liu Hui Tried

Ms. Liu Hui was tried on July 31, 2017, for refusing to renounce Faun Gong.

Her two lawyers entered a not guilty plea for her, as no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong.

The prosecutor claimed he had four witnesses testifying against Ms. Liu, including her parents. The lawyers argued that their client's parents never agreed to be prosecution witness as they knew their daughter broke no law by exercising her constitutional right to freedom of belief.

Ms. Liu also testified in her own defense and shared how Falun Gong turned her into a better person. While her fellow teachers charged high fees for tutoring students, she always offered free help to struggling students.

Ms. Liu's parents and sister attended the trial. They once held misconception about Falun Gong and didn't quite understand why she held firm to her faith. After the trial, they came to see Ms. Liu did nothing wrong, and they expressed gratitude to local practitioners who also attended the trial.