(Minghui.org) After Ms. Sheng Chunmei's daughter finally secured medical parole for her critically-ill mother, she faced another obstacle: the prison authorities would only allow her mother to stay in her own home. Because Ms. Sheng’s daughter lived and worked two hours away from her mother and had a young child to take care of, the daughter was left in a very difficult situation. Nevertheless, the prison threatened to take her mother back into custody if she left home.
According to Ms. Sheng's daughter, her 65-year-old mother, who was imprisoned in 2014 because she practices Falun Gong, is now suffering from gallbladder inflammation, high blood pressure, and diabetes. She was only able to eat normally the first two days after her release. After that, she lost her appetite and often vomited after eating. Her feet are swollen. She is weak and exhausted and cannot take care of herself.
Serving a nine-year prison term for handing out informational materials about Falun Gong, Ms. Sheng Chunmei was tortured and deprived of sleep by inmates for refusing to renounce her belief. Her health declined quickly. She lost her vision and hearing within a year of her imprisonment.
Ms. Sheng's daughter was informed by the prison staff on April 7, 2017 that her mother had gallbladder inflammation. She was forced to sign a waiver before she was allowed to visit her mother. The daughter later applied for medical parole for Ms. Sheng, but it was denied.
Ms. Sheng fell into a coma in May and was sent to the emergency room. The hospital notified her daughter of her mother's critical condition and asked her to visit her. The daughter applied for medical parole for her mother again, but the doctor told her that Ms. Sheng “didn't qualify.”
In August, Ms. Sheng vomited for a week. Her daughter applied for medical parole for the third time on August 18, 2017. This time, the prison approved the application.
Ms. Sheng's daughter was forced to sign several agreements before the prison would release her mother. They didn't allow Ms. Sheng to leave her home in Honggu District. In addition, the prison and the legal department refused to bear any responsibility if anything were to happen to Ms. Sheng at home.
As Ms. Sheng could not take care of herself, her daughter still made the decision to take her mother to her home in Lanzhou, which is two hours away from Ms. Sheng's. After the prison learned of the move, Ms. Sheng's daughter received a call from the legal department threatening her mother’s re-incarceration if she didn't remain at her own home. She is now very worried for her mother.
Ms. Sheng Chunmei and her husband, Mr. Chen Deguang, were arrested in 2013 while distributing Falun Gong informational materials. They were both sentenced to nine years in prison.
Mr. Chen is currently incarcerated at Lanzhou Prison. “During the few years of imprisonment, my father has aged very quickly. His hair turned gray, and he developed presbyopia. Every time I visited my father, I wished I could take him home so our family could be reunited,” said their daughter.
Previous reports:62-Year-Old Woman Imprisoned for Practicing Falun Gong, Loses Vision and Hearing Within a YearPractitioners Tortured and Intimidated at Gansu Women’s PrisonAppeal Blocked after Elderly Couple Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonGansu Judge Upholds Original Sentence Without a Trial, Violating Chinese Criminal LawChen Deguang and His Wife Sheng Chunmei Illegally Sentenced to Nine-Year Prison TermsJudge Says Political and Legal Affairs Committee Dictates Trial Results after Elderly Practitioner Held for Two YearsLanzhou Trial: Prosecutor Unable To Answer Any Questions from Defense LawyerFamily Protests Honggu District Court Attempts to Try Mr. Chen Deguang without His AttorneyMr. Chen Deguan from Lanzhou Detained for Over a Year; His Wife Arrested AgainMr. Chen Deguang and Ms. Sheng Chunmei and Their Daughter and Son Repeatedly Harassed, Arrested, and Sentenced Since 1999Falun Gong Practitioner Mr. Chen Deguang Files Complaint Against Police for Interrogation by Torture