(Minghui.org) It was recently confirmed that at least five Falun Gong practitioners in Pingchuan District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province had been sentenced for their faith since 2022.
Except for Ms. Li Fenglan, the exact time of the other practitioners’ arrests and sentencing remain unknown.
Ms. Li, 67, was arrested around March 2022, ahead of the Chinese Communist Party’s two annual political meetings. Officers Wang Chaobiao and Wang Zhizhen of the Pingchuan District Domestic Security Office kept her in detention in the name of maintaining stability, despite the fact that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer before her arrest.
Ms. Li was later sentenced to one year and eight months and admitted to the Gansu Province Women’s Prison (located in the capital city Lanzhou) on February 17, 2023. She was taken to a hospital for chemotherapy, but her cancer still metastasized. The prison asked the police to take her home, but officer Wang Chaobiao insisted she be jailed. She is receiving treatment in prison.
Mr. Zhang Jibin, in his 80s, went to a printing shop to make copies of Master Li (founder of Falun Gong)’s new article. A shop employee reported him to police. The Pingchuan District Domestic Security Office raided his home and confiscated his Falun Gong books, three computers, and a music player that he used to play Falun Gong exercise music. He was later sentenced to one year and fined 2,000 yuan. He was allowed to serve time outside of prison due to his advanced age.
Ms. Zhu Yuying, 77, was followed by an officer from the Pingchuan District Domestic Security Office after he spotted her talking to people about Falun Gong. He arrested her and raided her home, confiscating her Falun Gong books and music player.
Ms. Zhu was sentenced to one year and fined 2,000 yuan. She was allowed to serve time outside of prison.
Community worker Wu Hui went to Ms. Zhu’s home in May 2023 and ordered her to sign statements to renounce Falun Gong. She was very ill at the time and her terrified husband signed on her behalf.
Ms. Lian Jingmin was diagnosed with liver cancer years ago and no medical treatment helped. Her conditions improved after she took up Falun Gong.
The Pingchuan District Domestic Security Office raided Ms. Lian’s home and confiscated her Falun Gong books, computer and cell phone. Both she and her husband, Mr. Xu Xuefu, who had liver cancer, were arrested. They were both fined 4,000 yuan.
Mr. Xu was intimidated by police and died not long after being released. Ms. Lian was given three years to serve outside of prison. She was ordered to report to the local judicial bureau every week and write thought reports.
Ms. Xu Xuejun was arrested after being reported for talking to a student about Falun Gong. She was sentenced to two years to serve outside of prison. She was also ordered to report to the local judicial bureau every week and write thought reports.
Ms. Gan Chengju used to suffer from various diseases, but became illness free after she took up Falun Gong. She wrote a letter to some central government leaders in 2022 urging them to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. She was soon arrested and had her Falun Gong books, computer and phone confiscated from her home. She was detained for one day.
Ms. Qi Xiuying was arrested in 2022 after being reported for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. The police raided her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books and music player. She was released on the same day of her arrest.
It is unclear whether Ms. Gan and Ms. Qi face prosecution.