Retired Elementary School Teacher, 82, Tried for Her Faith in Falun Gong

(Minghui.org) An 82-year-old retired elementary school teacher on bail was made to stand trial for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Sun Mingying, of Jiaohe City, Jilin Province, was arrested on June 8, 2021 after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong outside of an elementary school. After taking her to the local police station, the police asked her to sign a few documents about her bail release. Although she refused to sign it, her son, who was ordered to come to the police station, signed it for her. 

Only one day after Ms. Sun returned home, her son received a call from the Shulan Court and was asked to take her to the court to attend a hearing. He responded that Ms. Sun felt dizzy and was unable to walk.

On August 18, several court staff members came to Ms. Sun’s home and took her to the court for the hearing. The judge demanded that her two sons go with her, but both of them refused. One of her daughters-in-law attended the hearing. 

The judge appointed a lawyer to represent Ms. Sun, who entered a guilty plea for her. Ms. Sun tried to explain the illegality of the persecution of Falun Gong, but the judge constantly interrupted her. She was sent back home after the hearing. 

In the past 22 years, Ms. Sun has been repeatedly harassed and arrested for upholding her faith. She was once given a labor camp term, but was rejected admission by the labor camp due to her poor health. 

Since about ten years ago, the elementary school she retired from has been suspending half of her pension. The school leadership said that as long as she wrote a statement to renounce Falun Gong, they would pay her pension in full. She refused to comply. She tried to seek justice from various government agencies, but to no avail.