China conducts mass arrests of Falun Gong practitioners in several provinces

Chinese security forces have carried out a wave of illegal arrests, detentions and harassment of Falun Gong practitioners across multiple provinces. Reported cases include the illegal court hearing of Liu Bingfang in Shandong, the kidnapping of Zhang Shufen and three others in Hebei, the abduction of practitioners in Dalian, Liaoning, and the forced “brain‑washing” of Yan Sanming in Hubei. Similar actions were documented in Jiangsu, Anhui, Jilin, and other regions, with numerous activists taken to detention centers or subjected to home searches and intimidation.

In the United States, Falun Gong members staged a protest in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., on June 13, demanding the release of relatives kidnapped in Wuhan’s Yangtze River New District. They highlighted that 17 practitioners were seized in April, including Wang Youmei and Tong Shuying, who have since been moved to a criminal detention facility and face possible prosecution. The protestors have appealed to U.S. lawmakers for assistance, citing recent U.S. legislative efforts such as the Falun Gong Protection Act and a Senate‑introduced bill to hold Chinese officials accountable for persecution.

Both domestic crackdowns and the overseas demonstration illustrate an intensified campaign by Chinese authorities against Falun Gong adherents and a growing international response.