(Minghui.org) More than 30 banners reading “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” appeared around the city government in Suihua City between March and April 2018.
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a spiritual discipline and meditation practice based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999, and practitioners have been systematically arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their organs for refusing to renounce their faith.
Suihua City officials ordered police to find out who put up the banners within a month.
Through street surveillance cameras, the police narrowed their targets to two elderly Falun Gong practitioners, Ms. Liu Xiulian and Ms. Zeng Fanying.
After following and monitoring them for a period of time, the police arrested the two practitioners on April 23, 2018. They took Ms. Liu's home key, broke into her residence, and confiscated her Falun Gong books, computer, printer and other personal belongings.
Ms. Liu and Ms. Zeng were then taken to a local hospital for medical examinations. Li Jianfei, an agent from the local 610 Office, drove them to Suihua City Detention Center afterward. The head of the detention center declined to admit Ms. Liu upon reviewing her health record and discovering she had high blood pressure.
Li had to take Ms. Liu back to the police station. Around midnight, Ms. Liu's daughter received a call from the police and was asked to take her mother home on medical parole.
The police continued to harass Ms. Liu after she was released. On May 2, agent Li Jianfei from the 610 Office went to her home to warn her not to go out of town. He also demanded that she report to the police station whenever she was told.
Ms. Liu's case was submitted to the local procuratorate in July. It was soon turned over to Beilin District Court, which later forwarded it to Hailun City Court. She was summoned to Hailun City Court on August 21. As soon as she arrived, a staff member there said she was wrong to hang up banners. She refuted the statement. A tall man with a heavy build showed up to demand she sign a court document. A third person named Li Daming came out to say that she must secure bail or be thrown into jail.
Ms. Zeng was held at the detention center for 83 days and released on bail on July 26. She was forced to stand for long hours during her detention. The officials also forced her to sign statements renouncing Falun Gong before she was allowed to go home. One staff member threatened to sentence her to death if she continued to practice Falun Gong.
