(Minghui.org) A mother and daughter in Nong’an County, Jilin Province are appealing wrongful prison sentences against their shared faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Cai Yuying, 66, and her daughter, Ms. Yu Jiaoru, a 34-year-old accountant, were arrested at 6 a.m. on July 15, 2020. The police broke in after drilling a big hole in the family’s door. Their home was ransacked and their Falun Gong-related items were confiscated. Ms. Cai’s husband, who doesn’t practice Falun Gong, was also taken to the local police station and detained briefly.

The mother and daughter were among two dozen local practitioners arrested on the same day.

At least 12 of the practitioners have been sentenced to prison. Eight of them were tried together, including Ms. Cai and Ms. Yu, as well as six other practitioners, who appeared in the Dehui City Court on April 9, 2021. Except for one practitioner’s father, the other practitioners’ family members and their lawyers weren’t allowed to attend the hearing. Another group of four practitioners were tried together on April 20.

The judge sentenced the 12 practitioners on July 26. Among them, Ms. Zhang Xiuzhi, 64, was sentenced to 10 years; Ms. Gao Xiaoqi, 56, to 9 years; Mr. Feng Liqi to 9 years; Ms. Cai Yuying to 9 years; Ms. Wu Dongmei, 50, to 7 years; Ms. Yu to 6 years; Mr. Shan Weihe to 6 years; Mr. Lu Xiangfu to 6 years; Ms. Zhao Xiulan, 67, to 5 years; Ms. Sun Xiuying, 68, to 4 years; Mr. Zhang Jingyuan to 2 years and Ms. Sun Fengxian, 65, to 2 years.

Both Ms. Cai and Ms. Yu have appealed to the Changchun City Intermediate Court. Their cases are being handled by judge Fan Wenhao.

Related report:

Nong’an County, Jilin Province: Ten Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced to Two to Ten Years in Prison