(Minghui.org) Mr. Li Yanchun’s blood pressure remained very high after one month in a local police hospital, but he was still admitted to prison to serve a seven-and-a-half-year term for his faith in Falun Gong.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Li Yanchun

Mr. Li, a 68-year-old retired hospital president in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, was arrested with his wife, Ms. Pei Yuxian, on November 25, 2018. They were targeted after being reported for handing out calendars with information about Falun Gong.

Mr. Li was released on bail due to his high blood pressure after being detained for 20 hours, but Ms. Pei was taken to Qinhuangdao City Detention Center.

The couple appeared in the Changli County Court on May 31, 2019. Their Falun Gong books, computer, printer, and cellphone were used as evidence to prosecute them.

Mr. Li was later sentenced to seven and a half years and fined 20,000 yuan. Ms. Pei, an award-winning oncologist, was given four years and a 5,000-yuan fine. Due to Mr. Li’s high blood pressure, the bailiff didn’t immediately take him to prison, while Ms. Pei was taken to the Shijiazhuang Women’s Prison on December 2, 2019.

Mr. Li was arrested again on July 22, 2021. The police took pictures and videotaped his home before taking him to the local police hospital for a physical exam. When he still had high blood pressure, the officers tried, without success, to get the local detention center to accept him. They then took him back to the police hospital and forced him to take medicine and get injections.

The police didn’t show a search warrant or their ID when they arrested Mr. Li. They also kept his family in the dark concerning his whereabouts.

After asking around, his family confirmed that he’d been arrested by Huang Yongli, the head of Shuangwang Police Station. When they called Huang to inquire about Mr. Li, Huang responded, “We are doing our job according to the law. You will be notified if there are any updates.”

When Mr. Li’s family pointed out to Huang that the police had violated legal procedure by arresting him, Huang hung up.

Mr. Li’s blood pressure remained dangerously high after one month of treatment, but he was still taken to the Jidong Prison on August 18.

Perpetrators’ contact information:
Shuangwang Police Station: +86-335-7396110Huang Yongli (黄永利), head of the police station: +86-18332519110

Related reports:

Hebei Couple Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Calendars about Their Shared Faith

Older Couple Tried for Their Faith, Defense Lawyer Not Allowed to Mention Falun Gong

Police Brutality Against a Senior Couple in Hebei Province