(Minghui.org) An ethnic Korean in Shenyang City was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and fined 10,000 yuan for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.

Ms. Sun Zhengyu, in her 50s, was home on September 20, 2017 when about six men broke in and held her down. Fu Dequan, deputy head of the Huanggu District Domestic Security Office, and officer Di Mingzhu were among the arresting officers.

Without showing a search warrant, the police confiscated Ms. Sun's key, apartment rental lease, computer, cell phone, 1,300 yuan in cash, and her Falun Gong books. She was then taken to Shenyang City First Detention Center.

As Ms. Sun's husband and daughter work in South Korea, one of her friends called Fu requesting her release. Fu cursed at the friend and threatened to kill her.

Ms. Sun's court hearing was initially scheduled for March 12, 2018, but it was canceled after the police cruiser carrying her broke down en route to the courthouse.

When Ms. Sun finally appeared in court on May 17, her lawyer requested that the presiding judge and prosecutor, both atheists, be recused because he deemed them unfit to prosecute his client, a person of faith. Judge Jin Jun recessed the hearing for one hour before returning to announce to reschedule the hearing for a late date.

Ms. Sun's lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her when the hearing resumed on June 22. He went to the court again on June 26 as instructed to sign the May 17th court proceeding. Judge Jin announced the next day to sentence Ms. Sun to prison.

Ms. Sun's family is in the process of finding a new lawyer to appeal her case.