(Minghui.org) One year after a Jilin couple were arrested for their faith in Falun Gong, it was recently confirmed by Minghui.org that the husband was secretly sentenced to five years. He has been taken to Gongzhuling Prison to serve time in September 2018.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body discipline persecuted by the communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Hu Yougang and his wife Ms. Tian Chao were arrested on October 9, 2017 by officers from the Domestic Security Division in Baicheng City and Taonan City in Jilin Province.

Two of the officers, Guo Jiasheng and Gao Dexin, had also arrested and extorted money from other local Falun Gong practitioners between 2016 and 2017.

Mr. Hu was detained at Baicheng City Detention Center, and Ms. Tian was kept at Zhenlai County Detention Center.

The police required any lawyer who wanted to represent Mr. Hu to obtain their approval before being allowed to have meetings with him. The local Taonan City Court also prohibited any lawyer from entering a not-guilty plea for him.

Mr. Hu was unable to find a lawyer willing to defend him, and he was given a court-appointed lawyer, who was instructed to enter a guilty plea for him. His family was not informed of his court hearing or provided updates on his case status.

Although it has been confirmed that Mr. Hu was sentenced to prison, the status of his wife's case remains unknown. Their imprisonment has left their child at home alone unattended.

Related report:Police Detain Several Practitioners in Baicheng City, Jilin Province