(Minghui.org) A married couple from Mengyin County, Shandong Province were tried without their family's knowledge, and each was sentenced to three years in prison. They were convicted for filing a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party who launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999.
Mr. Zhang Libao is still being held at the Mengyin County Detention Center, while Ms. Zhang Guifeng has been transferred to the Shandong Province Women's Prison.
The prison recently informed the couple's family that Ms. Zhang is suffering from high blood pressure and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart wall). The family suspects that Ms. Zhang has been subjected to abuse in prison, as she was perfectly healthy before her arrest.
Arrested Four Days after Dropping Off Criminal Complaints
Mr. Zhang dropped off the couple's criminal complaints against Jiang in June 2015, but the Jushan County Post Office held their mail. Mr. Zhang went to ask about the complaint letter several times, but the staff there avoided his questions, saying that their computer system failed and could not track the parcel.
Four days after Mr. Zhang sent the letter, around 40 officers from the local 610 Office and police department ransacked his house. His computers, a printer, Falun Gong informational materials and some cash were confiscated. Mr. Zhang, his wife and mother-in-law were taken to the Mengyin County Detention Center. Later, Mr. Zhang's wife and mother-in-law were released.
Wife Arrested Again Weeks Later
After Mr. Zhang was detained, his wife Zhang Guifeng searched for a lawyer to help him, but none of them dared to accept the case.
Ms. Zhang Guifeng was arrested again and taken to the Linyi City Detention Center on July 14, 2015.
The couple's family hasn't seen them since Ms. Zhang's July arrest, as the police have denied them visitation.
The family learned recently that both Mr. and Ms. Zhang had been secretly tried and sentenced.
