(Minghui.org) A Jinan City, Shandong Province resident was sentenced to two years and three months in March 2020 for her faith in Falun Gong. She has appealed the verdict.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999.
Ms. Liu Xifang, a nursing mom in her 30s, was arrested on June 14, 2019, while staying at her mother’s house in Huimin County, also in Shandong Province. She had been reported for distributing materials about Falun Gong the day before.
Ms. Liu appeared in Huimin County Court in mid-January 2020. The judge didn’t allow her family to attend the hearing.
Ms. Liu was charged with “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” a standard pretext used by the authorities to criminalize Falun Gong practitioners. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her and refuted the charges.
The prosecutor, Li Haijun, listed some Falun Gong materials found in a residential area in July 2019 as prosecution evidence against Ms. Liu.
The lawyer questioned Li, “My client has been arrested and sent to the Binzhou City Detention Center in June. Did the police take her to the residential area to distribute the materials in July?”
Related reports:
Shandong Resident Ms. Liu Xifang Arrested—Whereabouts Unknown
Breastfeeding Mother Detained for Her Faith, Family Struggles To Feed Her One-year-old Son
