(Minghui.org) A Beijing resident in her 70s sustained fractures to her ribs and vertebrae after the police beat her for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Zhang Xiufen was arrested on July 5, 2022, after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. At Qingta Police Station, officers Li Ming, Yu Yang, and six others who remain unnamed beat her.

One 610 Office agent snatched Ms. Zhang’s key and broke into her home. Her Falun Gong books, materials, photo of Falun Gong’s founder, and 1,500 yuan in cash were confiscated.

Due to Ms. Zhang’s injuries, the local detention center refused to accept her. Released on bail two days later, she went to the hospital and was diagnosed with fractures to her thoracic spine and ribs, as well as a lumbar vertebral compression fracture.

Since the Chinese communist regime ordered the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, Ms. Zhang has been repeatedly targeted for her faith and held in brainwashing centers. She served three labor camp terms for a total of six years. She lost vision in one eye due to a beating during her third labor camp term. She was arrested again in early October 2016 and later sentenced to four and a half years. While she was detained, her family was under tremendous stress.