(Minghui.org)

Ms. Yuan Xiaolan and Ms. Zhang Xiaoying from Shanghai were tried at the Shanghai Huangpu District Court and illegally sentenced, Ms. Yuan to five in prison and Ms. Zhang to four years, on August 13, 2013. Both of them had been previously sentenced to six-year prison terms in 2003.

Ms. Yuan, former assistant at the Falun Gong practice site in Shanghai, and Ms. Zhang were arrested on January 19, 2013, by officers Hu Jianjian and He Wenrong from the East Nanjing Road Police Station, for putting up truth-clarification posters at the intersection of South Suzhou Road and Xinqiao Road in the Jiangti District. They were taken to the police station by officer Zhang Jianwei of the Domestic Security Division. Their case, which was submitted by officials of the Huangpu Domestic Security Division, was rejected by the Procuratorate due to “insufficient evidence.”

Ms. Yuan's mother, who is in her 90s, went to the Huangpu District Domestic Security Division many times and asked that her daughter be released. Instead of releasing Ms. Yuan, the officials made up “evidence” and submitted the case again.

Ms. Yuan and Ms. Zhang have been repeatedly persecuted. Ms. Yuan was arrested and forced to go through brainwashing in 2001. In 2003, she was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and incarcerated at the Shanghai Women's Prison until she was released in 2009. Since then, she has been the primary caregiver for her elderly mother. Her most recent arrest and sentence have caused the family a lot of grief.

Ms. Zhang was arrested in 2003 by police officers from the Zhabei District. She was tried and sentenced to six years in prison by the Zhabei District Court. She also served her term in the Shanghai Women's Prison. Her recent sentence to four years in prison is undoubtedly another blow to her family.

A large number of Falun Gong practitioners from Shanghai have been illegally arrested, charged, tried, and sentenced in the first six months of 2013. The following is a list of practitioners and their prison terms: Ms. Zhang Yi was sentenced to four and a half years, Ms. Hu Zhongtian to three and a half years, Ms. Yuan Hongying (an elderly lady) to three and a half years, Ms. Rong Huijun to four years, Ms. Li Meizhen to four years, Ms. Gao Qinmei to four years, Ms. Tong Xiaodi's sentence is unknown, Mr. Zhou Chenghao to four years, Ms. Zhou Huijuan to three and a half years, Ms. Bai Gendi to six and a half years, Ms. Yao Yuhua to six years, and Ms. Zhou Shumei to four years.

Ms. Yuan and Ms. Zhang are currently incarcerated at the Huangpu District Detention Center.

Parties involved in the persecution:

Zhang, director of the East Nanjing Road Police Station: +86-15962150996 (Cell) Zhang Qiwei, head of the Huangpu District Domestic Security Division: +86-21-63280123 Extension 33902 (Office), +86-21-63518302 (Office)