(Minghui.org) Ms. Jiang Xiaoli was taken away from her home in Qingdao City, Shandong Province on October 16, 2017. The police had monitored her for nearly a year before executing the arrest.
More than 25 Falun Gong practitioners were also arrested over the course of the next few days, prior to the Chinese government's 19th National Congress in 2017. Deemed a sensitive date, increased arrests and harassment of Falun Gong practitioners were often reported around such times, as the authorities attempted to prevent them from spreading information about the persecution of their faith, which has lasted 20 years to this day.
The police also ransacked Ms. Jiang’s home and confiscated her Falun Gong-related items. Her daughter was also arrested and held briefly at the local police station.
Now, more than two years after the group arrest, nine practitioners remain in custody, with seven of them confirmed to have been sentenced to prison.
Mr. Gong Piqi, a 65-year-old retired colonel, was sentenced to 7.5 years and fined 20,000 yuan on July 20, 2018. Mr. Wang Mingde and his wife Ms. Yin Delan were each sentenced to three-year terms.
Ms. Su Guihua was sentenced to nine years and a 30,000 yuan fine, by the Shibei District Court on March 19, 2019. She was ordered to serve time outside of prison due to her physical condition. Mr. Yu Xianrong was given six years with a 20,000 yuan fine, and Mr. Lu Yonghua was sentenced to 4.5 years with a 10,000 yuan fine on the same day by the same court.
Ms. Jiang Xiaoli was recently sentenced to 7.5 years and has been sent to Zhangqiu Women's Prison.
The case status of Ms. Zang Yongmei and Ms. Song Guixiang remain to be investigated.
