(Minghui.org) On October 24, 2020, officers from the Shapotou Public Security Bureau arrested nine residents from Zhongwei City, Ningxia Autonomous Region, for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Two of the practitioners were released while the remaining seven practitioners are still in detention, even though their cases have been dismissed by the local court.
Mr. Zheng Yongxin, Ms. Yang Jie, Ms. Huang Yuxia, Ms. Chang Xiu'e, and Ms. Wen Jing are held at the Zhongwei City Detention Center. Ms. Jing Yuling is detained at the Yinchuan City Detention Center. Ms. Wang Shunqin is held at Shizuishan City Detention Center. Ms. Wen Yuxiu and Ms. Zhang Yulian were released but are under house arrest.
The practitioners' cases were submitted to the Shapotou Procuratorate in January 2021. After returning the cases twice to the police, the procuratorate submitted the cases to Shapotou District Court in May 2021. Several practitioners’ families have hired lawyers to defend them.
On May 25, 2021, the Shapotou District Court announced that the cases could no longer continue due to some complications and are thus put on hold [which means the cases may be heard again later on if the complications are resolved].
Snapshots of Eight of the Nine Practitioners
Mr. Zheng, 65, a retired Power Bureau employee, was repeatedly arrested and detained in forced labor camp, prison, detention center for his faith for a total of nearly eight years. His workplace fired him, and his wife also divorced him, forcing him into displacement. Due to pressure from the persecution, his father passed away in 2014.
Ms. Yang, 51, a former life insurance company employee, took up Falun Gong in 1997. After the persecution started, she was arrested and held in a forced labor camp and prison for a total of more than seven years. Her former husband divorced her due to the persecution and she married Mr. Zheng in 2010.
Ms. Jing Yuling, a 56-year-old doctor at the Zhongwei City hospital, and Ms. Wang Shunqin, an employee at the Zhongwei City hospital, were previously arrested and detained for their faith in Falun Gong.
Ms. Chang Xiu'e and Ms. Huang Yuxia were previously arrested and interrogated while in police custody.
Ms. Wen Yuxiu is 68 years old.
Ms. Zhang Yulian is in her 50s.
Related report:After Years of Incarceration and Torture, Ningxia Couple Arrested for Their Faith Again
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