(Minghui.org) Ms. Chen Ping, 59, from Chongqing was sentenced to five years on August 23, 2023 for practicing her faith, Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999. Ms. Chen’s family was not notified of her court hearing or where she is held.

Ms. Chen’s sentence stemmed from her arrest on October 2, 2022. She was home that day when a group of agents from the Shapingba District Domestic Security Office and the 610 Office broke in and raided her home. They confiscated her printer and other valuables, before taking her to the Shapingba District Detention Center. Her family received her formal arrest warrant a few days later.

At the beginning of 2023, the Jiangbei District Court appointed a lawyer to represent Ms. Chen. When her sister, who had been seeking justice for her on behalf of her family, called the court and asked who the presiding judge was and who the prosecuting attorney was, the person who answered the phone refused to tell her.

Ms. Chen’s sister called on August 18, 2023 to ask about her case status. She was told, “The case was still pending,” even though the court already scheduled a hearing in five days.

Ms. Chen stood trial on August 23, 2023 without her family’s knowledge. She was sentenced at the end of the hearing. Her sister did not learn about the conviction until October 8 when the Xinqiao Police Station called to deliver the news.

The police did not reveal where Ms. Chen was taken, so her sister called the court on October 24 to inquire about it. The person answering the call directed her to the presiding judge (surnamed Zhu, phone number +86-23-17721792) who handled the case. Judge Zhu refused to tell her where Ms. Chen is currently held.