(Minghui.org) An elderly couple in Changli County, Hebei Province, were both sentenced to a year and a half in prison for spreading information about their faith in Falun Gong. While Ms. Wang Shaoping returned home last year, her husband, Mr. Zhou Zhencai, had his term extended by one year and wasn't released until January 14, 2020.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999.
The couple was arrested on August 6, 2017, for talking to people about Falun Gong. They appeared in Changli County Court on February 6, 2018, and were both sentenced to 1.5 years and fined 5,000 yuan on March 27, 2018.
Mr. Zhou, in his 70s, appealed his verdict, which was upheld by the local intermediate court. He was sent to Jidong Prison on July 16, 2018. The guards monitored him around the clock and often attempted to force him to admit guilt for practicing Falun Gong. When he refused to comply, they once forced him to sit on a small stool for long hours each day for 40 days.
Ms. Wang was sent to Hebei Province Women’s Prison on August 18, 2018. She was released in early 2019.
Prior to their latest prison terms, the couple was also held in forced labor camps for years for their faith. Their two sons and daughters-in-law have also been sentenced for practicing Falun Gong.
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