(Minghui.org) A woman in her late 50s was sentenced to 3.5 years for raising awareness about the persecution of her faith in Falun Gong that has been going on in China for 21 years.
Ms. Jia Fengzhi, a resident of Beijing, was arrested on November 9, 2019 for distributing calendars bearing information about Falun Gong.
Ms. Jia used to suffer from rheumatism, low platelet levels and severe stomachaches, but all the symptoms disappeared after she took up Falun Gong. Having had first-hand experience with Falun Gong, Ms. Jia was determined to tell people that the practice was nothing like what's depicted by the regime's slanderous propaganda. Distributing informational materials, such as calendars, about Falun Gong was one way she used to raise awareness when all legal channels to appeal for Falun Gong had been blocked by the regime.
The police submitted her case to the Pinggu District Procuratorate on February 5, 2020 and she was indicted on March 20.
Ms. Jia was tried by the Pinggu District Court on August 11, 2020 at the Pinggu Detention Center, where she has been held since her arrest. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. Her family wasn’t allowed to attend her hearing.
Ms. Jia’s family learned on September 7, 2020 that she was sentenced to 3.5 years and fined 35,000 yuan.
This is the second time that Ms. Jia has been sentenced for her faith in the past five years by the same court. She was previously given two years on November 21, 2015.
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Beijing Woman Faces Trial by Judge Who Sentenced Her Years Ago
