(Minghui.org) Officers from the Dezhou City Police Department arrested many local Falun Gong practitioners and ransacked their homes on April 22, 2016. It has been confirmed that over a dozen practitioners have been arrested and detained at the Dezhou City Detention Center. In addition, several practitioners were harassed.

The arrested practitioners include Mr. Li Zhiyong, Ms. Liu Yueping, Ms. Chen Yulan, Mr. Sun Xiangren, Ms. Lu Duomei, Ms. Zhang Xiuqin, Ms. Kong Xiangmei, Mr. Wang Jianping, Mr. Ma Yuqing, Ms. Wang Yuqin, Ms. Meng Xiuyun, Ms. Kang Shufeng, Ms. Zhang Qingcheng, Ms. Guo Li, and Ms. Zhang Wenyan.

During this large scale arrest, police knocked at the door claiming to be looking for someone else. If this did not work, they destroyed the electric circuitry at the practitioners home. Then they claimed to be an electrician repairing the circuit, so the practitioners would open the door.

Mr. Li Zhiyong

Police arrested Mr. Li Zhiyong, an employee from the Hengfeng Textile Co., Ltd.. The police waited in the hallway of his residential building for him on his return home from work.

They dragged him down the stairs. His mouth and hands were bleeding, and his clothes were torn to pieces by the officers.

The police also ransacked his home and confiscated a printer, laptop computers, Falun Gong books, and other personal belongings.

His wife had a heart attack during the arrest and was taken to the city hospital for emergency treatment. Four of the officers monitored her in the hospital.

Mr. Ma Yuqing

Police officer Liu Dawei and officers from the Decheng District Domestic Security Team arrested practitioner Mr. Ma Yuqing and ransacked his home.

Ms. Liu Yueping

Ms. Liu Yueping was arrested when she returned home from her paralyzed 84-year-old mother's home. The police also broke into her mother's home and ransacked it.

Ms. Chen Yulan, Mr. Wang Jianping and Ms. Lu Duomei

The police arrested Ms. Chen Yulan at her home. Then, they hid at her home to wait for practitioners.

Practitioners Mr. Wang Jianping and Ms. Lu Duomei were arrested when they visited Ms. Chen.

Ms. Tang Fuhui

A group of police officers broke into Ms. Tang Fuhui's home, who was not at home. They waited the entire night for her to come home.

Ms. Chen Yuejuan, Ms. Zhang Baozhi and Ms. Cui Jipin

Police officers from the Jianshe Street Police Station in Decheng District tried to break into practitioner Ms. Chen Yuejuan's home at about 6:00 pm. She was not at home.

The police also harassed practitioners Ms. Zhang Baozhi and Ms. Cui Jiping.

Participants in the persecution of the practitioners:Pan Guohui, chief, Hubinbei Road Police Station, Decheng District: +86-534-2396678, +86-13336275866Yu Yansong, chief and party secretary, Dezhou City Police Department: +86-534-2292077Zhang Tianzhong, head, Dezhou City 610 Office