(Minghui.org) An elderly woman serving time for her faith in Falun Gong was released on medical parole and diagnosed with late-stage cancer two days later. She was recently dealt another blow after the authorities ordered her to return the low-income subsidy she had received during a previous four-year term.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Yu Shourong, 72, of Fushun City, Liaoning Province, was arrested on June 25, 2019, after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. She appeared in the Wanghua District Court on December 27, 2019, and was later sentenced to three years with a 10,000-yuan fine.
She began to feel unwell in late 2020 and was released on medical parole on December 13, 2020. She was diagnosed with cancer two days later and was given 15 days of chemotherapy, which cost her nearly 40,000 yuan. By the end of the chemotherapy, the doctor refused to provide further treatment and sent her home.
The residential committee staff members later found Ms. Yu and ordered her to return the low-income subsidy she received while serving a previous four-year term between 2014 and 2018 for practicing Falun Gong. They cited an order from above and said if she couldn’t turn in the money on time, the residential committee director would be fired.
The authorities also wouldn't let Ms. Yu make installment payments, pointing out that she might die at any time. Because she didn’t have any savings or own any property, the residential committee eventually found her nephew, who then contacted her son, who was once forced out of school due to the persecution and is doing odd jobs out of town. Ms. Yu managed to borrow 24,878 yuan and gave it to the residential committee.
Ms. Yu said her monthly income is only 800 yuan. Her friends gave her most of her appliances and daily necessities. She worries about when she can pay back the debt she owes for her chemotherapy and the 24,875 yuan her son borrowed.
Related reports:
71-year-old Woman Develops Cancer While Serving Time for Her Faith
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Category: Accounts of Persecution
