Chinese police detain Falun Gong activist Song Yaping and other elderly practitioners

Song Yaping, a 64‑year‑old Falun Gong practitioner from Jinzhou, Liaoning, who previously served an illegal 11‑year sentence and endured severe torture, was again seized by local police on 15 June 2026. Police forced her into a police car without identification, subjected her to a health‑critical interrogation, and demanded a 5,000‑yuan “guarantee” for a so‑called “release on bail” while she repeatedly recited Falun Gong slogans.

Separate reports describe a recent wave of forced detentions targeting elderly Falun Gong members across China. Liu Huiju, an 84‑year‑old from Heihe, Heilongjiang, was taken into custody in 2025 and died in prison after multiple emergency hospitalizations. Hu Kaijun, 72, from Chongqing, was apprehended in June 2026 and similarly detained despite serious health issues. Duan Xuying, 75, from Kunming, Yunnan, was abducted in May 2026 and placed in a women’s prison despite being unable to care for herself. All cases involve police or judicial officials compelling detention, ignoring medical conditions, and restricting family contact.

These incidents illustrate a broader pattern of intensified persecution of Falun Gong adherents by Chinese authorities, featuring arbitrary arrests, denial of medical care, and the use of financial extortion to enforce compliance.