(Minghui.org) A 85-year-old man was imprisoned in mid-January 2020 for his faith in Falun Gong. The authorities refused to reveal to his family where he is being detained.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Xu Jingchao, a Yushu City, Jilin Province resident, was arrested on October 8, 2018 for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. He appeared in the Yushu City Court on November 16, 2018. He was sentenced to 2.5 years with 3 years' probation on January 23, 2019.
While Mr. Xu’s verdict didn’t require him to serve time in prison, the police claimed that he violated probation after he was arrested again on December 2, 2019 for giving out Falun Gong materials. The police ransacked his place and confiscated his Falun Gong books and related materials.
The police initially held Mr. Xu at a detention center following his latest arrest and then transferred him to a prison hospital before the Chinese New Year in late January 2020. His family went to the detention center several times to inquire about his detention location, only to be stonewalled by the authorities. All requests to visit Mr. Xu have been denied.
Mr. Xu took up Falun Gong in 1997. He credits the practice for curing his high blood pressure and other ailments, but he was targeted for holding firm to his faith. Prior to his imprisonment, Mr. Xu had been sent to a brainwashing center following an arrest on July 11, 2010 for his faith. The authorities also harassed him at home shortly before his 2018 arrest.
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