(Minghui.org) Two former kindergarten teachers were arrested again on December 28, 2015 simply for refusing to renounce their belief in Falun Gong. They are currently detained at the Yongan City detention center.
Ms. Zuo Xiuyun and Ms. Zhang Aiting taught in the kindergarten of the Fujian Railway System in Yongan City. Because they refused to give up their belief in Falun Gong, their school suspended them without pay, even before the Chinese Communist regime launched its open attack on the practice in July 1999.
They were both repeatedly arrested and suffered lengthy imprisonment. Their homes were also ransacked, and their husbands divorced them as a result of pressure from the authorities.
Ms. Zuo's Latest Arrest Preceded by 12.5 Years of Imprisonment
Prior to her latest arrest, Ms. Zuo was sentenced three times and spent a total of 12.5 years in prison for refusing to give up her belief in Falun Gong.
Eight months after she finished a three-year prison term in 2003, she was arrested again and given six years. After she was released again in June 2010, she went to the authorities to request the release of her brother, Mr. Zuo Fusheng. Her request led to her next arrest on December 16, 2011, after two failed attempts by the police to arrest her.
The 2011 arrest was followed by a three-and-half-year sentence. Ms. Zuo suffered brutal torture while in prison, where she was deprived of sleep and not allowed to use the restroom. She was also forced to do heavy labor without proper tools.
Six months after her release in June 2015, Ms. Zuo was arrested again. She had initially planned to visit the prison to seek her brother's release.
Ms Zuo's former colleague, Ms. Zhang, was also arrested at the same time.
Ms. Zhang Once Imprisoned for 3.5 Years
Ms. Zhang, 52, had her home ransacked once and was detained three times, each detention lasting between 5 and 15 days. She was sentenced to three-and-a-half years of imprisonment in October 2000. She struggled to find a job to support herself after her release due to interference from the 610 Office. She was also deprived of her retirement pay.
Similar to Ms. Zuo, Ms. Zhang was suspended from work before the persecution started. On July 20, 1999, her workplace leaders went to her house and forced her to surrender two Falun Gong books. She was arrested weeks later after someone observing her doing Falun Gong exercises in public reported her to the police. She was detained for 15 days.
Her next detention of 10 days came when she returned from Beijing, as the police suspected that she had gone to appeal to the authorities. She was later summoned for an investigation after she destroyed posters that slandered Master Li.
Later, she prepared materials detailing how she had regained her health through practicing Falun Gong, and gave a copy each to her workplace leaders and the head of the local police station. This led to her home being ransacked, and she was arrested in mid-October 1999.
With No Pension or Spousal Support, Ms. Zhang Struggles to Make a Living
One year after Ms. Zhang's third arrest in October 1999, she was sentenced to imprisonment along with Ms. Zuo and another practitioner. During this period, her husband divorced her. The three practitioners were sent to prison in January 2001 and suffered torture that included sleep deprivation, being shocked with electric batons, and being forced to watch videos slandering Falun Gong.
Ms. Zhang's mother brought her home in 2004 after her release. She has no source of income, as she had lost her job. The 610 Office staff then told her ex-husband not to give her any spousal support, and he complied.
Ms. Zhang stayed at her mother's place and found a job. However, her boss fired her one month later due to pressure from the 610 Office. She moved to other places for a chance to survive and returned five years later, where she finally found a job.
Having reached retirement age, Ms. Zhang wanted to retrieve her retirement pay, but was told that she hasn't accumulated enough work credits to qualify for social security because of her imprisonment. She would need to pay almost eight years into the social security fund before she can draw on her retirement.
Related articles in English:Kindergarten Teacher Ms. Zuo Xiuyun Tortured at the Fujian Women's PrisonKindergarten Teacher Ms. Zuo Xiuyun in Critical Condition After Retaliation for Her Efforts to Seek JusticeMr. Zuo Fusheng and His Sister, Ms. Zuo Xiuyun, ImprisonedMs. Zuo Xiuyun Arrested Immediately Upon Her Release from PrisonFujian Prison Obstructs Military Veteran from Seeking Pardon, Citing His Practice of Falun Gong
Related article in Chinese:http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2015/5/25/福建永安市幼儿教师张嫒婷遭受的迫害-309908.html
