(Minghui.org) Ms. Wang Hongyu, a resident in Longkou City, Shandong Province, received a decision from Yantai Intermediate Court on November 20, 2019. Her appeal against the four-and-half-year-prison-term was rejected, and she was sent to Shandong Women’s Prison on December 3.
This is the second time that Ms. Wang has been jailed in the same prison for refusing to renounce her faith in Falun Gong. In April 2007, she was sentenced to five years and suffered tremendously, both physically and mentally, during her imprisonment.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation system based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to suppress the practice in July 1999, a large number of practitioners have been detained, imprisoned, and tortured.
Latest Arrest and Imprisonment
When Ms. Wang talked to people about Falun Gong at Dachenjia Farmer’s Market on April 18, 2019, officers from Beima Police Station arrested her and ransacked her home. They confiscated her printer, computer, as well as Falun Gong books and materials. Although she failed the physical examination, she was still sent to Yantai Detention Center later that day.
Li Xiang from Longkou Procuratorate issued a formal arrest warrant for Ms. Wang on May 18, 2019. To appeal the illegal arrest and detention, her family hired a lawyer.
When the lawyer and family members went to inquire about her case, Guo Fudui from Domestic Security Bureau insulted them and swore at them. “You can appeal wherever you want, but it won’t work!”
Under the instruction from Longkou Political and Legal Affairs Committee (PLAC) and 610 Office, Longkou Court held a trial against Ms. Wang on August 28, 2019. Ms. Wang was taken over 100 kilometers (or 60 miles) to the courtroom. Her attorney and family members were not notified of the secret trial.
The PLAC is an extrajudicial agency, and the 610 Office is an extralegal agency. Both agencies were tasked with persecuting Falun Gong and given power to override the judicial system.
In mid-September 2019, Ms. Wang received a notice that she was sentenced to four and a half years. She appealed the case to Yantai Intermediate Court, which sent clerks to the detention center to talk to her on October 10.
On November 20, 2019, Ms. Wang received the appeals court's ruling to uphold her prison sentence. Ms. Wang is currently kept at Shandong Women’s Prison.
Previous Persecution
Ms. Wang used to suffer from various illnesses and was very weak. In addition, she had a hot temper and often argued with others. After she began to practice Falun Gong in July 1997, her health improved, and her bad temper was gone.
As Ms. Wang shared her personal experience with other residents, however, she was arrested and detained numerous times.
First Arrest and Detention
In early 2000, several practitioners including Ms. Wang were handcuffed and humiliated in public for their belief, followed by being kept at a detention center.
During interrogation, the guards forced Ms. Wang and other practitioners to do military drills. The guards also spat in their faces, poured cold water down their shirts, or beat them.
Ms. Wang was not released until her family was forced to pay 5,100 yuan. After arriving home, however, she found she had been secretly divorced by court officials when she was detained.
Legs Disabled While Attempting to Escape Arrest
In 2001, Ms. Wang jumped from a building trying to escape from Xiadingjia Brainwashing Center in Longkou City. Her spinal cord was fractured and as a result her legs were disabled.
She was later detained a few more times between 2001 and 2006. In particular, she was given three years of forced labor in Wangcun Forced Labor Camp in Zibo City in 2003.
Sentenced to 5 Years and Tortured in Prison
On April 12, 2007, Wang Qi from Longkou Domestic Security Bureau framed Ms. Wang, leading to her being sentenced to five-year imprisonment. Although she failed the required physical examination, she was still sent to Shandong Women’s Prison where numerous guards and inmates treated her badly.
In prison, the guards tied the backs of three chairs together to form a triangle and forced Ms. Wang to stand inside motionlessly every day from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Other than eating and going to the restroom, she had to stand there all the time.
As time continued, Ms. Wang’s feet and legs became severely swollen. Later, she could not lift her disabled legs when going to the restroom. She had to crawl, leaving her legs scratched and injured by stairs. Because of swelling and poor blood circulation, her legs had pus and fluid coming out all the time.
The forced standing lasted for five and a half months, and was then replaced with forced labor. As instructed by guard Xue Yanqin, inmate Qiao Ruimei forbade Ms. Wang from using the restroom for three days. She had no choice but to urinate in her pants. In the cold and wet winter, Ms. Wang had to wear the wet pants and stand still past midnight. Guard Sun Xiaoli then ordered Ms. Wang to write statements to renounce her belief, and she refused to comply.
In December 2007, Ms. Wang to transferred to a division for elderly and disabled detainees. She was still forced to do unpaid labor and was brutally beaten.
Pepper Sprayed in the Eyes in 2016
After her release from prison, Ms. Wang was arrested again on June 21, 2013, for telling people about Falun Gong. Guo Fudui from Longkou Domestic Security Division sent her to the Zhangjiagou Detention Center.
When Ms. Wang talked with someone about Falun Gong at a farmer’s market on January 13, 2016, officers from Lugou Police Department took her and another practitioner to the police station. They also confiscated calendars and DVDs with information on Falun Gong, along with 180 yuan cash from Ms. Wang’s coat pocket.
The police ordered Ms. Wang to reveal her home address, but she refused. One officer took out a black plastic tube filled with pepper powder and sprayed it directed to Ms. Wang’s eye. The pungency made Ms. Wang have a hard time breathing. Another officer then hit her mouth with key chains.
In May 2017, officers from Longkou Domestic Security Division and police stations from local towns went to practitioners’ homes to harass them. Some videotaped practitioners’ homes, some asked if practitioners still practiced, and some confiscated Falun Gong books and materials. Ms. Wang was also harassed.
Key Responsible Personnel
Xu Wenye, manager of Longkou Domestic Security Bureau: +86-18660067115Guo Fudui, officer of Longkou Domestic Security Bureau: +86-18596118718, +86-18660067090Li Xiang, supervisor of Criminal Arrest Office in Longkou Procuratorate: +86-18353502858Guan Yanhai, Director of Beima Police Station: +86-18866380333
Related Reports:
Revealing the Crimes against Falun Gong Practitioners at Shandong Province Women's Prison
