(Minghui.org) Two Songzi City, Hubei Province residents appealed the verdicts after they were sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for not renouncing their faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Their families are also calling for their unconditional release.
The Jingzhou City Intermediate Court is set to hold a hearing for their appeals soon.
Ms. Liu Xuecui, 70, and Ms. Yang Chaoqin, 65, were arrested on November 27, 2018 for talking to people about Falun Gong. The police ransacked their homes and held them at Songzi Detention Center for 15 days before putting them on criminal detention and transferring them to Gong'an County Detention Center.
The two practitioners have been denied family visits. Their loved ones didn't see them until they appeared in Gong'an County Court on April 19, 2019. Both women have lost significant weight after five months of detention.
Both Ms. Liu and Ms. Yang credit Falun Gong for improving their health and enabling them to do many chores, from caring for their grandchildren to farming.
Related report:Two Hubei Residents Still Detained for Their Faith as Chinese New Year Nears
