(Minghui.org) A Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province resident was recently sentenced to four years for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Wan Fang, 49, was arrested on September 11, 2019, in a police sweep. The police confiscated her Falun Gong books, computer, and printer. Despite her failing the physical examination, the Harbin No. 2 Detention Center still took Ms. Wan into custody that evening.
During her detention, the police attempted to force Ms. Wan to write statements renouncing Falun Gong, in exchange for her release or a lighter prison term, but she refused to compromise.
Ms. Wan’s arrest and detention dealt a heavy blow to her mother, who had already been worrying about her other daughter, who was fired by her workplace and forced into displacement, also for practicing in Falun Gong. The elderly woman, in her 80s, fell ill and was hospitalized in late 2019. She passed away in March 2020, without seeing her daughters for the last time.
Ms. Wan was tried by the Harbin Railroad Transportation Court on September 9 through a video conference. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. The judge recently announced the four-year sentence.
Ms. Wan worked at the Tax Bureau in Xiangfang District of Harbin. Despite her good academic performance, she was unable to attend college due to health issues. Because of a chronic heart condition and rheumatism, she had to wear long-sleeved shirts and full-length pants even in the hot summer. She often took sick leave and was on medication.
In the late 1990s, Ms. Wan took up Falun Gong and her health improved dramatically. She almost never took sick leave after taking up Falun Gong. Enjoying her new-found good health, Ms. Wan worked hard and became known for her excellent service.
Related reports:
Arrested in a Police Sweep a Year Ago, Two Heilongjiang Women Sentenced for Their Faith
Harbin Railway Police Actively Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners
Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province: 17 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in One Day
