(Clearwisdom.net) Like those in the rest of China, Falun Gong practitioners in Huai'an, Hebei, lost a peaceful and safe environment to practice their spiritual beliefs ever since the Communist government unconstitutionally banned Falun Gong in July 1999. The following are but a few examples of the persecution.

1. Ms. Bai Yufang Underwent Brainwashing

Ms. Bai is a farmer in Yejiafang Village, Zuowei Town. She had suffered from a variety of chronic illnesses before learning Falun Gong in 1998. After that, she became healthier and her family relationships became better due to the improvement in her moral character.

At around 8:00 a.m. one day in June 2002, six or seven officers from the Zuowei Town Police Station dragged her out of her home and took her to the Disitun Brainwashing Center in Huai'an. Ms. Bai was detained for four days, during which she was forced to write defamatory things about Falun Gong and the founder of the practice, Mr. Li Hongzhi. She was also extorted out of 600 yuan in cash before being released.

2. Four Arrests of Ms. Huo Wanying

Ms. Huo Wangying started practicing Falun Gong in April 1997 and her health dramatically improved after two months of practicing. Being grateful to Falun Gong, Ms. Huo and five fellow practitioners went to Beijing, intending to appeal to the central government in March 2000, after the persecution against the practice had started. However, they were immediately arrested by Beijing police upon their arrival at Qianmen, a busy area right next to Tiananmen Square. The police beat them and brought them to the Huai'an Office in Beijing. They were searched and all of their money was taken by the police. They were then forced to sit handcuffed on the cement floor for the whole night.

The next day four or five officers, including two female officers from Huai'an, arrived to take them to the County Police Station. Wang Xiang, deputy director of the police station, swore at the practitioners. They were detained for seventeen days. Ms. Huo was extorted out of 1,600 yuan by officer Sun Zhan, 280 yuan by the detention center, and 2,000 yuan by some officials from the Zuowei Town government.

One day in the fall of 2002, Ms. Huo went to her relatives' field to help with farm work, but she was arrested by the county police for leaving her home without their permission. She was thus detained for a day and extorted out of 260 yuan.

The Chinese Communist Party was holding its 16^th National Conference in September 2002, which was one of the politically sensitive dates in China. Ms. Huo was arrested for the third time on the evening of September 29, 2002. Seven or eight people from the township 610 Office and the police station, including Guo Fuxiang, Wu Huiping, Xu Keming, Ye Chengxiao, and Gu Xianglin, broke into Ms. Huo's home, dragged her out of her bed and threw her into a police car. Handcuffed with another practitioner, Ms. Huo was sent to the police station, where the two practitioners were brutally beaten by officer Si Xiaoming.

After having been detained at the local detention center for one month, Ms. Huo was transferred to the Shalingzi Brainwashing Center. Police forced her to watch videos and photos defaming Falun Gong and Teacher Li. Police also manipulated Ms. Huo's elderly parents and young children into kneeling down in front of her and begging her to give up her belief in Falun Gong. She was detained there for two months and extorted out of 800 yuan.

On April 28, 2003, Ms. Huo was working in her courtyard when five or six officers, including Si Xiaoming, suddenly ran in. They ransacked her home and took away Falun Gong books and tapes, saying: “This is sufficient and valid evidence to detain you.” Ms. Huo was then detained in the County Detention Center for two months before being transferred to the Gaoyang Forced Labor Camp in Baoding City, where she was imprisoned for one year.

3. Persecution of Ms. Jia Wenlan

Ms. Jia Wenlan is a farmer in Yejiafang Village, Zuowei Town. She also regained her health upon practicing Falun Gong.

In June 2002, Ms. Jia was arrested by the Zuowei Police and sent to the Disitun Brainwashing Center, where she was forced to write statements defaming Falun Gong and Teacher Li. Ms. Jia was detained there for four days and her husband was extorted out of 600 yuan in cash.

4. Ms. Wu Fengxian Experienced Brainwashing

On June 9, 2001, guided by villager Chen Manhe, officers form Town Police Station arrested Ms. Wu Fengxiang and took her to the Disitun Brainwashing Center, where Ms. Wu underwent brainwashing for three days and was extorted out of 550 yuan.

5. Ms. Zhang Yifang Detained and Subjected to Forced Labor

Ms. Zhang Yifang is a farmer in Dazhong Village, Zuowei Town. She started practicing Falun Gong on July 7, 1998, which benefited her health.

After the Communist government began the persecution in July 1999, Ms. Zhang and several fellow practitioners went to Beijing to appeal to the central government. They went separately to Tiananmen Square after arriving in Beijing, but were arrested by Beijing police and sent to the practitioners' hometown office in Beijing. Wang Xiang, deputy director of the local police station, swore at them and searched them, taking away the six practitioners' 1,000 yuan in cash. They were then brought back and detained for over 20 days at a local detention center, where they were fed food that was mixed with mouse droppings. They were extorted out of 3,000 yuan in total.

On October 13, 1999, Ms. Zhang went back to Tiananmen Square and unfurled a banner stating “Falun Dafa is good” while shouting the same words. A group of police officers swarmed over to seize her and threw her into a police car. She was then detained at the Chaigoupu Detention Center for two months and was afterwards imprisoned at the Gaoyang Forced Labor Camp in Hebei.