(Minghui.org) A married couple in Luoyang City, Henan Province were both convicted for the wife’s spiritual belief in Falun Gong, a traditional mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. The higher court rejected their appeals and threatened to revoke the husband’s probation if he hired a lawyer.
Ms. Wu Yongfeng, a 42-year-old cost engineer, and her husband, Mr. He Fei, were arrested at home at 6 a.m. on March 29, 2021. Their home was ransacked. While Mr. He, who doesn’t practice Falun Gong, was released on bail in the evening, Ms. Wu was taken to the Luoyang City Detention Center. Their two daughters, ages 4 and 13, were left at home alone for a day.
It’s reported that the police arrested Ms. Wu after a surveillance camera recorded her distributing Falun Gong materials in a residential area.
The Luolong District Procuratorate indicted Ms. Wu on August 23, 2021 and moved her case to the Luolong District Court. She was charged with “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” the standard pretext used by the authorities to criminalize Falun Gong practitioners.
In March 2022, the Luolong District Court sentenced Ms. Wu to four years with a 5,000-yuan fine and Mr. He to two years with three years’ probation and a 3,000-yuan fine. They appealed with the Luoyang City Intermediate Court, which recently ruled to uphold their original verdicts.
When Mr. He picked up the verdicts at the intermediate court, a staff member threatened him, “You aren’t allowed to hire any lawyers [to further appeal your case]. As long as you do so, we will revoke your probation and send you to prison.”
Mao Yong (毛永), head, Luolong District Domestic Security OfficeHe Xiaowen (何小文), prosecutor, Luolong District ProcuratorateLi Weiqiang (李伟强), judge, Luolong District CourtGuo Shijian (郭士骞), presiding judge, Luoyang City Intermediate CourtLi Xiaodan (李晓丹), judge, Luoyang City Intermediate Court
Cost Engineer and Mother of Two Young Girls Faces Trial for Her Faith