(Minghui.org) Nine people in the greater Heze region, Shandong Province, were recently convicted for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Wang Xiangling, 85, was sentenced to one year in prison. Ms. Liu Qiuxia, 61, received one and a half years. The other seven practitioners’ prison terms are unknown.
Ms. Wang, Ms. Liu, and Ms. Ma Xiuqin, in her 70s, live in Juye County. The other six practitioners live in Yuncheng County. Both counties are under the administration of Heze City. Prosecutors Chu Dongmei and Liu Hongwen from the Yuncheng County Procuratorate indicted all nine practitioners. Judge Zhao Guifeng of the Yuncheng County Court presided over all the trials, assisted by judges Hua Quangong and Ge Huijie, and clerk Chen Deru.
The nine practitioners were arrested during a police sweep on July 11, 2024. Ms. Wang and Ms. Liu’s cases were submitted to the Yuncheng County Procuratorate on November 21, 2024. They stood trial at the Yuncheng County Court on January 23, 2025 and were sentenced on February 26. They both appealed to the Heze City Court and are awaiting results while being held at the Heze City Detention Center.
It’s not clear when the other seven practitioners were indicted, tried or sentenced, but they also filed appeals.
Ms. Wang’s Past Persecution
Ms. Wang developed rheumatoid arthritis at age 30. Her fingers became deformed and bent. She could not tolerate cold water and struggled to fall asleep at night due to the pain. She also had a stubborn skin disease that caused her skin to peel and bleed. Her vision was poor because her eyes constantly watered. All her symptoms disappeared after she took up Falun Gong in 1998. She became a better person and invited her mother-in-law to live with her. She took meticulous care of the older woman until she passed away.
After the persecution of Falun Gong began in July 1999, Ms. Wang went to Beijing to appeal in December 2000 and was arrested. She was held in Beijing for six days before she was taken back to Shandong Province. After four months of detention at the Juye County Detention Center, she was moved to the Wangcun Labor Camp in April 2001 to serve a three-year term. She was forced to do hard labor from morning to midnight every day. She felt dizzy and her neck hurt after a long day’s work.
Ms. Liu’s Past Persecution
Ms. Liu developed severe neurasthenia in 1993 and had to sleep at least nine hours a day. She was groggy every day, and her legs felt heavy as though they were filled with lead. In September 1997, she had appendicitis, which relapsed five times in one year. During her last hospitalization for appendicitis, her doctors advised against surgery as she was found to have intestinal adhesions. She had conservative treatments and the abdominal pain flared up from time to time. She became thinner and weaker.
One of her coworkers suggested she give Falun Gong a try. She heeded the advice and made a full recovery in two months. Her appendicitis did not return, and her other illnesses also disappeared. She was no longer muddle-headed and her mind became sharp. From 1998 to 2000, she was awarded “Employee of the Year” at the county and region level every year.
Ms. Liu was arrested for practicing Falun Gong on July 24, 2001 and she was taken to the Juye County Detention Center. On August 24 that year, she was transferred to the Shandong Province First Women’s Labor Camp to serve an unknown term. After she was arrested on January 23, 2006, she was taken to the same labor camp on February 16 and held there until October 2007.
During her second labor camp term, Ms. Liu was subjected to various forms of abuse, including being forced to stand or sit on a small bench for hours. She was monitored by inmates around the clock, and only allowed to sleep for three hours (from midnight to 3 a.m.). She was only allowed to urinate for one minute and have a bowel movement for two minutes. The inmates would yank her up when the time was up. She was not allowed to wash her hands or talk to anyone.
A team lead surnamed Sun often verbally abused Ms. Liu and threatened to put her in jail after her forced labor term was up. When she reasoned with Sun, the latter kicked her legs with her high heels.
Ms. Liu was also ordered to watch videos that slander Falun Gong. When she refused, she was beaten and verbally abused.
Related Report:
Yuncheng County, Shandong Province: Nine Locals Face Trial for Practicing Falun Gong
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