(Minghui.org) Ms. Lin Lehong developed severe medical conditions after being force-fed while in custody, but she was still forced to stand trial and later sentenced to a 3.5-year prison term on December 27, 2021. Another woman, who was arrested with Ms. Lin, Ms. Ma Yanping, was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months on the same day.
Both Ms. Lin and Ms. Ma are residents in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province. They were targeted for their faith in Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa), a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Lin, 46, and Ms. Ma, 34, were arrested on the evening of October 12, 2020. Their homes were both ransacked and they were taken to the Longgang District Detention Center.
The police returned to their homes on October 15 and confiscated more of their belongings, including Falun Gong books, Falun Gong informational materials, computer, printer, laminator, paper cutter, and a portable drive. Their arrests were approved by the Longgang District Procuratorate on November 18.
Ms. Lin held multiple hunger strikes to protest the persecution and was force fed. After being resuscitated following a force-feeding session in April 2021, she couldn’t hold any food down, and vomited everything she ate. Her blood pressure shot up to a dangerously high level. She had constant chest tightness, and her left hand was numb. She was given oxygen inhalation once every week.
Despite Ms. Lin’s condition, she was made to stand trial in the Yantian District Court on August 18 along with Ms. Ma. Their lawyers entered not-guilty pleas on their behalf.
To continue protesting the persecution, Ms. Lin started a hunger strike again on November 18, 2021. After over 20 days of force-feeding, her body weight dropped to 100 lbs. Her tongue became stiff, and her glucose level was less than 3 mmol/L (normal fasting level is 3.5-5.5 mmol/L). Her hands and feet were so cold that she had to wear a winter jacket when the weather was 26°C (78°F).
On December 27, 2021, the judge sentenced Ms. Lin to 3.5 years with a 5,000 yuan fine and Ms. Ma to 3 years and 3 months, also with a 5,000 yuan fine.
Perpetrators’ contact information:
Zhang Liyou (张立有), head of Buji Police Station: +86-13543298886Jiang Wenlin (姜文林), head of Longgang District Police Department: +86-13902450976Liu Xiaona (刘晓娜), prosecutor of Yantian District Procuratorate: +86-13529675131Duan Hui (段晖), judge of Yantian District Court: +86-13828796318
(More perpetrators’ contact information is available in the original Chinese article.)
Health Quickly Declining After Force Feeding, Woman to Appear in Court for Her Faith