(Minghui.org) Six senior residents of Shanghai were arrested on July 15, 2019 while reading Zhuan Falun together.
Zhuan Falun is the main text of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, which is an ancient self-improvement practice with three core principles, Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
Five Falun Gong practitioners, aged 72 - 83, were reading the book at Ms. Jin Shumin's home when the police suddenly knocked on the door. The officers threatened to break in if Ms. Jin refused to open the door for them.
As soon as Ms. Jin was forced to open the door, a group of officers rushed in. They held the six practitioners and took pictures of them.
The officers confiscated the practitioners' copies of Zhuan Falun and forced them to sign the confiscation list. They said they would tear up the book if the practitioners refused to admit the books were theirs.
The police then brought the practitioners to Luoshanxincun Police Station. They took the key of Ms. Zhang Meizhen, 72, and ransacked her home. Her bedridden husband, who was at home alone, was terrified by the sudden police raid.
The police confiscated more than 300 copies of Falun Gong books, photo of Falun Gong's founder, and other related materials from Ms. Zhang's home. They took pictures of these items and asked her to sign the confiscation list.
All the practitioners were interrogated one by one at the police station in the evening.
According to the police, they have been monitoring the practitioners for a long time before arresting them.
Ms. Xie Sinan, 83, Ms. Li Caifeng (or Li Cuifeng), 75, and Ms. Sun Wenjuan, 72, were given ten days of administrative detention to be served at home due to their advanced age. They were released on the early morning of July 16.
Ms. Guo Sujiao, 75, and Ms. Jin, 56, were held at the detention center for ten days.
Ms. Zhang was detained for three days.
