(Minghui.org) A married couple in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province were both sentenced to prison for practicing Falun Gong. The husband’s grief-stricken mother, in her 80s, passed away three months following their arrests.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Li Fuquan and Ms. Liu Kequn were arrested on September 28, 2020, after they were recorded by surveillance cameras distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. Mr. Li was held at the Dayi County Detention Center and Ms. Liu was kept at the Pi County Detention Center. 

The couple’s arrests left Mr. Li’s mother and Ms. Liu’s aunt, both in their 80s, in deep despair. In particular, Ms. Liu was arrested at the hospital, while caring for her aunt, who is mute and has trouble walking on her own.

Mr. Li’s mother cried so hard due to the couple’s previous arrests and sentencing that she had gone blind. This time, she fell ill from the grief and passed away on January 16, 2021. 

It was recently confirmed by Minghui that the couple were sentenced to three years each in mid-August 2021. 

Prior to their latest persecution, they were arrested earlier on May 28, 2004. Mr. Li was sentenced to eight years to the Huangxu Town Prison and Ms. Liu to seven years in the Yangmahe Prison. Mr. Li was beaten by the inmates and suffered broken ribs while in the prison.