(Minghui.org) A 49-year-old physician has been held in custody for more than two months for her faith in Falun Gong. She recently developed some symptoms, but the authorities have refused to allow her to seek medical treatment or meet with her lawyer.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999.
Ms. Fan Shirong last worked at a hospital in Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province before her arrest. After Guangdong was struck by the coronavirus epidemic, the local police conducted a census of out-of-province people.
Upon finding that Ms. Fan lived in Lishui City, Zhejiang Province before moving to Guangdong Province and is a Falun Gong practitioner, the Chaozhou police arrested her on February 7, 2020 and contacted their counterpart in Lishui.
The Lishui police came to Chaozhou, took Ms. Fan back and held her at Lishui Detention Center, after she refused to renounce Falun Gong.
In addition to denying her medical attention, the Lishui authorities are also using the epidemic as an excuse to forbid Ms. Fan’s family from sending clothes or daily necessities to her. She isn’t allowed to use the money they deposited for her either.
Ms. Fan is a native of Jilin Province, which is about 1,500 miles from Lishui. Her parents, in their 80s, still live in Jilin. They are very worried about her since they are unable to come and visit her.
Prior to her latest arrest, Ms. Fan was arrested in Lishui on November 16, 2012 for practicing Falun Gong. She was first held at Shuidong Brainwashing Center and then transferred to Lishui Detention Center on November 22. Her heart condition that was cured by practicing Falun Gong recurred as a result of the physical abuse there. She was then released on bail on December 24.
