(Clearwisdom.net) CCP officials used the Olympic Torch Relay as an excuse to seriously persecute Falun Gong practitioners in Songyuan City, Jilin Province. Beginning in March 2008, they searched the homes of practitioners who had been on their lists since July 20, 1999. They confiscated Falun Gong books and informational materials, and tried to force practitioners and their family members to sign certain agreements. In July, several dozen practitioners were arrested. Most of them were either detained or sentenced to forced labor. After that, the CCP harassed, searched, and arrested practitioners repeatedly.

About a week before the Olympic Torch Relay arrived Songyuan City, Mayor Lan Jun had a meeting and ordered all Party members, police officers, national security groups, neighborhood associations, township councils, and village councils to search for and arrest Falun Gong practitioners in their areas between July 9 and 14. On the evening of July 11, many people were arrested in Qianguo County, including a woman who just had a baby and an old lady that was clearly terrified. The policeman said to her, "Even if you die, we have to arrest you." The police even arrested several family members of practitioners.

Fortunately, some practitioners avoided arrest. However, they became homeless. Even so, CCP members still went to the homes of their relatives or their friends to find out their whereabouts. They even traveled to other cities to arrest those practitioners.

Arrested and persecuted

a. Practitioner Ms. Li Wei of Songyuan City is a retiree from Jilin Oilfield. In June 2008 she was arrested at home by officers from the Second Police Station of Songyuan City Police Department and detained at Shanyou Detention Center.

b. In June 2008, practitioner Ms. Wang Shuzhi of Qianguo County, Songyuan Cit,y was arrested by officers with the Second Police Station of Ningjiang District and Shihua Police Station. She was detained at Shanyou Detention Center

c. On June 24, 2008, practitioner Mr. Li Guojun of Qianguo County, Songyuan City, was arrested by officers from the Second Police Station of Ningjiang District and Shihua Police Station. He is an employee of the oil refinery plant. He was detained at Shanyou Detention Center.

d. Practitioner Ms. Ning Yongfan of Qianguo County is a nurse at the oil refinery. Ms. Lu is employed by one of the oil refinery's suppliers. On July 7, 2008, they were reported to the police while delivering truth-clarifying materials. Later they were arrested by officers from Jilatu Township Police Station and detained at Shanyou Detention Center.

The arrested practitioners:

From Hongguang Farm in Qianguo County: Bao Shuqin, Zhang Lianwen, Zhang Chunshang, Zhang (first name unknown), Shang Shijian, Zhang Zhenggang, Zhang Chunlin, Sun Meili, and Li Dongjun and his wife (the couple has been illegally sentenced to forced labor)

From Lianhuapao Farm: Miao Wanlan, Lu San (who has been "illegally sentenced" to forced labor), Xu Cuihua and her husband

From Pingfeng Township: Zhang Guizhen, Sun Hongyan from Qijiazi Farm (who has been sentenced to forced labor ), Yu (first name unknown) and his wife

One thousand yuan was extorted from Wang Jinhuan from Dashan Town. She was released after being detained for two weeks.

From Dashan Township: Ren Liwen, Wang Xibao's wife, Sun Feng and his wife, and Shi Hua

From Gesihu Area: Zhang Yan and Bai (first name unknown)

From Hongquan Township: Chi Zhijing, Xue Changxin (who was detained in Songyuang Detention Center for a whole day and had 360 yuan extorted), Yang Qingchen, Ouyang Zhaoying, Li Zhirong, and Ji Youjing (who detained for five days and had 300 yuan extorted)

From Taohaotai Township: Ren Linbo (who has been sentenced to forced labor), Wang Shenbo, Liu Hongyao (who had 500 yuan extorted), Ren Linchen, Wang Yujie, Ren Laiyi, Qu Yanhua, and Ding Hua

From Shenjingzi Area: Lan Changjun and his wife and Chu Delin (all of whom have been sentenced to forced labor )

From Changshan Township: Shen Qiuyang, Ge Shuping, Shi Rufei, Dong Yanmei, Lu Shuzhen, Fan Yanchang, and Qi (first name unknown)

From Red Star Farm: Xu Jinshan

From Changtuozi Township: Leng Zhihui

From Changlong Township: Shen Weiliang, Xin Minhuan, Liu Cai, Zhang Xianchen, and Yao (first name unknown), all of whom have been illegally sentenced to forced labor, and Jiang Shukun

From Wulantuga Township: Wang Zhanyi and his wife and Zhao Chengquan

From Xinli Township: Cong Dewen (sentenced to forced labor ) and his wife and a teacher from the middle school of Mutou Township, Wang Xiaoxin (was fired from his company and has been sentenced to forced labor), and Zhang Lixin (a teacher at Baofang Middle School)

From the Jiangnan Area: Liu Diansheng, Lin (a teacher) and Wang (employed by District Court)

The mother of Zhu Baocai from Beishangtaizi Village, Balang Township, Qianguo County is a Falun Gong practitioner. On July 11, 2008, the local policeman went to his home to arrest her. Because she was not at home, the policeman arrested Zhu Baocai instead. He told the policeman that he was not a practitioner, but he was still detained for 15 days.

Practitioners currently homeless:

Practitioner Zhang Guangyu has become homeless as a result of the persecution. On either July 7 or 8, Gao Shuai from the National Security Group of Songyuan City and three policemen arrived at the school Zhang Guangyu's child attends to find out the whereabouts of Zhang Guangyu. In the afternoon, they searched Zhang's home. After the Olympics Torch Relay, they called Zhang's home to find out if he had returned home or not.

Ms. Zhao, in her 60s, is from Dashan Township, Qianguo County. Because she continues to believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, her home was searched in April. After that, she became homeless. The CCP used the Olympics Torch Relay as an excuse to persecute her. On July 14, policemen from Qianguo County searched her home again. After that, the police went to a relative's home outside of their jurisdiction to look for her. The police even told her relatives that she was a criminal and scared her relatives.

Some of the arrested practitioners are now victims of extortion but were released. The others are either still being detained or sentenced to forced labor.