(Minghui.org) A 68-year-old resident of Hefei City, Anhui Province, was sentenced to two years with a 3,000-yuan fine on May 31, 2024 for his faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Mr. Ji Guangkui, an engineer by training, was arrested on April 18, 2023, while he was at his son’s home getting ready to take his granddaughter to school. A group of officers from the Anqing Road Police Station and the Luyang District Domestic Security Division raided his son’s home and arrested him. One hour later, the police raided Mr. Ji’s own home and confiscated his Falun Gong books. They transferred him to the Hefei City Detention Center the next afternoon.
Mr. Ji was issued a formal arrest warrant on April 27 and had his case submitted to the Shushan District Procuratorate on June 19, 2023. He was later indicted at an unknown date.
The Shushan District Court heard his case on March 5, 2024. Prosecutor Zhang Qi accused him of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used by the regime to frame Falun Gong practitioners. Mr. Ji’s lawyer refuted the charge, pointing out that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong or labels it a cult. Additionally, Zhang failed to present evidence that Mr. Ji had caused harm to anyone, much less undermine law enforcement.
Mr. Ji also testified in his own defense but was frequently interrupted by presiding judge Ni Na.
During the second hearing on April 19, 2024, Ni said the focus for that day was to determine whether Mr. Ji should be considered a repeat offender as he previously served a four-year term also for practicing Falun Gong. His lawyer argued that he should never have been sentenced in the first place. Mr. Ji also shut down the idea of him being a repeat offender and said his motion to reconsider his already-served prior sentence was still going through the legal system. Ni then ended the hearing without stating her conclusion on this matter. She sentenced Mr. Ji to two years with a 3,000-yuan fine on May 31, 2024.
Mr. Ji’s latest prison sentence was preceded by a two-year forced labor term given following his arrest in June 2001 and a four-year prison term following his arrest in March 2017. He completed his first prison sentence on March 18, 2021.
Mr. Ji is not the only one in his family targeted for practicing Falun Gong. He lost two siblings months apart in 2012.
Mr. Ji’s sister, Ms. Ji Guangxiong, an elementary school teacher, died at 61 on March 25, 2012, after enduring repeated arrests, harassment, brainwashing, and injection with unknown drugs during her detention.
Their older brother, Mr. Ji Guangjie, was arrested in July 2003 and sentenced to seven years at the same Suzhou Prison. He suffered intensive torture and developed extremely high blood pressure. The prison didn’t approve his medical parole until he suddenly passed out after suffering a stroke in June 2009. He remained bedridden for the next three years and died on June 3, 2012. He was 65.
For details of the siblings’ suffering, see the related reports below.
Related reports:
Falun Gong Practitioners Brutally Tortured in Suzhou Prison—At Least Nine Dead
Brother and Sister Persecuted to Death, Former Engineer Sentenced to Four Years, All for Their Faith
Anhui Engineer Imprisoned With a Four-Year Term for His Belief
Anhui Man Arrested and Interrogated with Torture
Anhui Man On Trial for His Faith, Testifies Against Police
Persecution Account of Mr. Ji Guangjie from Hefei City, Anhui Province Before His Death
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