(Minghui.org) A Tianjin resident is appealing her four-year sentence for practicing Falun Gong with the Tianjin No. 3 Intermediate Court. 

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Wang Shumin was arrested on April 17, 2019 and has been held at Ninghe District Detention Center since. The police ransacked her home twice after her arrest. 

The prosecutor at Ninghe District Procuratorate returned her case twice due to insufficient evidence, in early September and October 2019, respectively. The police refused to meet with Ms. Wang’s lawyer or provide any information about her case, before eventually pressuring the prosecutor to indict her.

Only when the lawyer received a notice from the Ninghe District Court on March 19, 2020 to submit his Power of Attorney, did he realize that Ms. Wang’s case has been forwarded to the court.

Ms. Wang was tried through a video conference on May 25, 2020 in the detention center. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. 

The judge sentenced Ms. Wang to four years and fined her 10,000 yuan three months later. She is now awaiting her appeal result.