(Minghui.org) A 70-year-old farmer in Changping District, Beijing, was sentenced to four years for his faith in Falun Gong, Minghui.org learned recently.
Mr. Li Caihua was arrested and had his home raided in November 2024, after being reported for exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing persecution of Falun Gong. It is unclear when he was indicted, tried, or sentenced. His detention location also remains unknown.
This is not the first time that Mr. Li has been targeted for his faith. He was previously arrested at least ten other times, resulting in two forced labor terms (1-year and 2.5-year) and three prison sentences (3-year, 5-year, and 4-year).
Mr. Li’s third prison sentence stemmed from his arrest on October 20, 2016, while he was distributing Falun Gong informational materials. The Changping District Domestic Security Office took him to the Changping District Detention Center, but he was denied admission due to poor health. The police released him on bail, only to seize him at home on February 16, 2017. He stood trial at the Changping District Court on June 14, 2017, and his lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him. He was later sentenced to four years in prison, and the court seized his personal assets (exact items unknown) on January 16, 2018.
During Mr. Li’s forced labor and prison terms, he was subjected to various forms of abuse, including solitary confinement, sitting on a small stool for long hours, beatings, verbal abuse, and mental torment.
Around March 2024, two officers from the Nanshao Police Station knocked on Mr. Li’s door and said they were there to see if he was home because the communist regime’s two annual meetings were to be held soon. The communist regime is notorious for intensifying the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners around major political meetings or anniversaries related to Falun Gong. Mr. Li reminded the police that he did nothing wrong by following Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be a good person. The police soon left.
Mr. Li was known among locals as a sickly person who suffered from leg pain, stomachaches, and bronchitis. When he was not busy with farm work, he repaired shoes as a side job. He carried his pills with him while serving his customers.
His wife was disabled and could not work. The couple struggled to make ends meet, much less save enough money to treat his illnesses.
Mr. Li’s conditions worsened over the years. In 1998, someone recommended he give Falun Gong a try. He began reading Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong, and was drawn to its profound principles. He became more considerate of others and improved his relationships with his neighbors. He also soon recovered from his illnesses.
After the communist regime launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Li held firm to his faith and was repeatedly targeted. After serving a total of 15.5 years in labor camps and prisons, he was given another four years for his faith following his latest arrest in November 2024.