(Minghui.org) Mr. Li Wensheng was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for distributing materials exposing the Chinese communist regime’s persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
This is not the first time that the Zhucheng City resident has been targeted for his faith in Falun Gong. He was given three years of forced labor following his arrest in October 2000. Authorities arrested him again in April 2009 and sentenced him to five years in prison.
Mr. Li is also not the only one in his family who has been persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. His father, Mr. Li Hai, died as a result of long-term persecution in 2002. His mother, Ms. Feng Shoulan, was also arrested on multiple occasions in the past. The elderly woman, who is in her 80s, has been denied family visits since her son’s latest arrest on December 18, 2016. The local police also tried, unsuccessfully, to pressure her and her two daughters, who practice Falun Gong too, to give up their belief.
Ms. Feng visited the local police station and Zhucheng Detention Center many times, but Liu Shuqin, head of the local domestic security office, used various excuses to stop her from visiting her son. She hasn’t seen him in more than one year.
Ms. Feng stayed at her son’s rental place after his latest arrest. She and a granddaughter were home on June 19, 2017 when a group of agents broke in to question if she still practiced Falun Gong. They videotaped her and the young girl.
The police also had Ms. Feng’s two daughters in their sights. An Wei and two other officers found one of the daughters on July 11 and tried to get her to renounce Falun Gong. She firmly declined and warned them to stop videotaping her.
Ms. Feng’s other daughter was also targeted, though police failed to locate her.
Mr. Li appeared in court on December 21, 2017 and was given two years in prison. He is now appealing the sentence.
Liu Shuqin: +86-18678085280
An Wei: +86-18678085299, +86-536-6581110
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