(Minghui.org) A 67-year-old woman in Tianjin was admitted to the Tianjin Women’s Prison on June 17, 2026, to serve a two-year term for her faith in Falun Gong.
Ms. Song Huichan was arrested on April 11, 2025, after being reported by a person for talking to him about Falun Gong. Five officers from the Xincun Police Station raided Ms. Song’s home in the evening, leaving her 93-year-old bedridden mother, who relied on her for care, trembling. After the raid, the police also searched the home of Ms. Song’s son.
Ms. Song was put on criminal detention the next day. She was issued a formal arrest warrant on April 25, by the Binhai New District Procuratorate. She was indicted on July 25 and appeared in the Binhai New District Court on December 18, 2025.
During the hearing, Ms. Song’s two lawyers entered a not guilty plea for her. They argued that no law has ever criminalized Falun Gong in China, and that it’s the practitioners’ freedom of belief to practice Falun Gong. They demanded Ms. Song’s acquittal Ms. Song. But the judge still sentenced her to two years with a 5,000-yuan fine on February 5, 2026.
Ms. Song appealed with the Tianjin City Third Intermediate Court, which ruled to uphold her original verdict on May 17, 2026. She was admitted to the Tianjin Women’s Prison on June 17, 2026. Her lawyers went to the prison on July 16 to visit her, but were turned away. They haven’t been allowed to see her in prison even once.
Prior to her latest prison sentence, Ms. Song has served a 15-month labor camp term and another three-year prison term for upholding her faith in Falun Gong.
15-Month Labor Camp Term
Ms. Song was arrested on September 21, 2004, during a police sweep. She was given 15 months at the Banqiao Women’s Forced Labor Camp in October that year.
In December 2004, she was terminated by her employer, the Tianjin Waterway Bureau.
Three-Year Prison Term
Nearly 20 officers broke into Ms. Song’s home on March 2, 2015. Her two-year-old grandson was terrified and began to cry. Her 83-year-old mother held the door handle tightly to prevent the police from taking her away. The police pried open the older woman’s hand, causing a big tear between her left index and middle fingers. She collapsed on the ground in pain, while the police took Ms. Song away.
Ms. Song was tried by the Binhai New District Court on December 3, 2015. The judge sentenced her to three years on June 2, 2016. She appealed with the Tianjin City Second Intermediate Court, but it ruled against her on July 21. She was admitted to the Tianjin Women’s Prison on August 20, 2016, and was released in March 2018.
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