(Minghui.org) A Chengdu City, Sichuan Province resident is appealing the three-year prison sentence handed down last month for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Zhou Yunxiu was arrested at home on May 12, 2022. Her Falun Gong books, laptop, printer, and many Falun Gong related materials were confiscated. 

The Xindu District Procuratorate soon indicted Ms. Zhou. The Xindu District Court initially scheduled a video hearing for July, but later changed it to an in-person session on August 19, given her persistent requests. 

Ms. Zhou testified in her own defense in court. She argued that practicing Falun Gong is her freedom of belief and should be protected by the Constitution. However, the judge, Wang Jie, sentenced her to three years with a 10,000-yuan fine. 

Ms. Zhou is still held at the Xindu District Detention Center at the time of writing.