(Minghui.org) Since June 2020, the authorities in Hengshui City, Hebei Province, have been targeting local Falun Gong practitioners and ordering them to sign prepared statements to renounce their faith. When the practitioners refused to comply, the authorities began to harass their family members to incite hatred against the practitioners.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Below are some of the harassment cases.
Ms. Zheng Yurong, in her 70s, was deceived into going to the local residential committee on June 16, 2020. She was told to sign the statement to renounce Falun Gong. She refused to comply and was held there until late afternoon. The committee ordered her to return the next day to be “educated.” If she still refused to give up her faith, they would send her to a brainwashing center.
Pressured by the authorities, Ms. Zheng’s husband was forced to provide their son’s contact information. Finding out that Ms. Zheng’s son operates a clinic, the police shut it down and said only when Ms. Zheng agrees to give up Falun Gong would they allow her son to reopen.
To avoid arrest, Ms. Zheng moved away. Her husband, son, and daughter were very worried and looked for her everywhere. She then returned home.
On September 20, 2020, the residential committee staff harassed Ms. Zheng’s son at his clinic and threatened to shut it down again. Stressed beyond his endurance, he went to his mother’s home, smashed several items, and punched a hole in the wall. Ms. Zheng’s husband also slapped her in the face.
Ms. Zheng’s son called the residential committee to bring the renouncing statement to their home. When Ms. Zheng resisted signing it, her son grabbed her hand and forced her to sign it.
Also in June 2020, Ms. Liu Yuxian, an elementary school teacher; her husband; and son, were summoned to the police station. In front of her husband and son, the police attempted to force her to sign the renouncing statement. When she refused to comply, her husband and son beat her and forced her into submission.
On August 25, the police and residential committee staff harassed Mr. Xue Junzhuang and ordered him to sign the renouncing statement. He refused to comply. As they left, the police threatened to come back every day to harass him. They called him again on September 20.
Village authorities withheld the food supplies and subsidies both Ms. Liu Shenxin, 67, and Ms. Ni Xuewen had been receiving every month as well as the benefits for their family members in attempts to force the two to give up Falun Gong.
The village officials threatened to shut off the water and electricity at Ms. Ni’s sister-in-law’s if she couldn’t persuade Ms. Ni to renounce Falun Gong. They also told Ms. Ni’s tenants to stop renting her property and said if they continued to live there, their children wouldn’t be allowed to go to school anymore.
Other practitioners who have been harassed in the past few months include:
Ms. Dai Xinshang, a retired Industry and Commerce Bureau employee, and her son who doesn’t practice Falun GongMs. Li Jing, a media professionalMs. Zhao Hongyu, an elementary school teacherMs. Chuai Huahui, a retired teacherMs. Du Wenqian, a retired auditorMs. Qiu Guidong, a retired Industrial and Commercial Bank employeeMs. Chen Yu and her husbandMr. Wang Guoen and his wifeFour middle school teachers
Three elderly women in Heyan Township
Ms. Chuai and Ms. Du were ordered to attend a brainwashing session for two hours each day. But they refused to comply.
