(Minghui.org) Because she shared information about her faith in Falun Gong, a woman in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, was sentenced twice for a total of six and a half years. Ms. Luo Baixiu was beaten, force-fed, held in solitary confinement, and given food laced with unknown drugs while serving time in the prison.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline guided by the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999 due to its immense popularity.
Taking Up Falun Gong
Before Ms. Luo, 52, took up Falun Gong, she had a frozen shoulder and couldn’t dress herself or even comb her own hair.
Introduced to it by a friend, she learned Falun Gong and her frozen shoulder was healed within a week.
Ms. Luo used to be opinionated and often had conflicts with her parents-in-law. After learning Falun Gong, she lived by Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and became more understanding and considerate. She reflected on herself and no longer pointed fingers. She apologized to her parents-in-law for the things she didn’t do well in the past. Everyone in the family got along well.
Husband Divorces Her Due to the Persecution
Because she refused to give up Falun Gong, Ms. Luo was arrested in June 2004. The police ransacked her home and damaged her furniture. She was interrogated in the local police station and then held in the Tonghai County Detention Center for 28 days.
After returning home, Ms. Luo learned that her husband had promised to keep her from practicing Falun Gong in exchange for her release on bail. The police also ordered her husband to monitor her at home.
Ms. Luo refused to renounce her faith. Fearing he would be implicated in the persecution, her husband divorced her.
She moved out and rented a small apartment. After the authorities found out her new address, they continued to harass her from time to time.
Sentenced to Three Years and Fed Unknown Drugs
Ms. Luo was arrested again on July 7, 2007, and sentenced to three years. She was taken to Yunnan Province No.2 Women’s Prison on October 24, 2007.
In attempts to force her to renounce Falun Gong, the guards forced her to sit on a small stool for 18 hours a day and watch slanderous videos demonizing Falun Gong. They also forbade her from taking showers.
Ms. Luo said her food always had a bitter taste. She later saw an inmate take a small bottle out of her pocket and sprinkle powder out of it onto her food. She suspected they were putting toxic drugs into her food. When she held a hunger strike to protest, the guards force-fed her. She had difficulty breathing and almost suffocated.
The guards used the excuse of checking on her health to draw her blood. Occasionally, they injected her with unknown drugs.
Ms. Luo was also held in solitary confinement or had her mouth taped shut when she refused to cooperate with the guards.
Third Arrest
Ms. Luo was arrested for the third time on September 3, 2015, for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong.
While she was held in the Kunming City Detention Center, the guards refused to provide her with menstrual pads. Because she spoke to people about Falun Gong, the guards stuffed her mouth with dirty socks and taped her mouth. They also tied her hands, shackled her feet, and held her in solitary confinement for 15 days.
Ms. Luo held a hunger strike for a month to protest the persecution and was force-fed.
Second Prison Term
Ms. Luo was sentenced to three and a half years and fined 3,000 yuan on April 11, 2016, in the Xundian County Court. She was taken to Yunnan Province No.2 Women’s Prison on August 23, 2016.
The guards didn’t let her buy any daily necessities, deprived her of sleep, and held her in solitary confinement with her hands and feet restrained.
When she protested the persecution with a hunger strike, they force-fed her and sprayed spicy water into her eyes.
Ms. Luo was released on March 4, 2019.
