(Minghui.org) A Kunming City, Yunnan Province resident served 16 months in a detention center for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Wang Renquan, 64, was about to go on a trip to attend his daughter’s wedding, when he was stopped at a train station after security personnel found a Falun Gong book in his bag on March 3, 2018.
The officers from Yongchanglu Police Station ransacked his home and confiscated his Falun Gong related materials, as well as a computer and printer that one of his friends temporarily left at his home.
The police first submitted Mr. Wang’s case to the Kunming City Procuratorate, which then assigned it to Yiliang County Procuratorate. But the Yiliang County Procuratorate refused to take his case with the excuse that his residence wasn’t in their district. They then transferred the case to Xishan District Procuratorate, where Mr. Wang resides.
After returning the case to the police three times for additional evidence (even though Chinese criminal law states that the prosecutor can't send the case back more than twice), the prosecutor at Xishan District Procuratorate indicted Mr. Wang and submitted his case to Xishan District Court.
Mr. Wang appeared in court on May 21, 2019. The prosecutor accused him of making Falun Gong promotional materials. His lawyer refuted the charges and argued that his client didn’t violate any law in making the materials.
Mr. Wang also testified in his own defense and argued that it is his constitutionally protected right to practice Falun Gong and keep relevant materials at home.
The judge sentenced him to 16 months in prison, with a 2,000 yuan fine. He served another 20 days after the trial and was released on July 3.
Past Persecution
Because of not giving up his faith, Mr. Wang has been repeatedly arrested and detained in the past 20 years.
He was first arrested on August 25, 2000 and detained for 15 days. His employer, the Kunchuan Education Training Center, terminated his work contract as a teacher at the end of 2000 after being pressured by the authorities.
Mr. Wang was arrested again on June 8, 2001. The police ransacked his home and gave him a 3-year term at Yunnan Province No.1 Force Labor Camp without due procedure.
Ten days after Mr. Wang’s arrest, his wife Ms. Zhang Lihong was arrested for putting up posters about Falun Gong on June 18, 2001. She was given one year at Yunnan Province Women’s Forced Labor Camp.
Their daughter, who was only a few years old back then, had to live with her relatives when both of her parents were detained.
After Mr. Wang was released, the authorities constantly harassed him at home around politically sensitive days.
