Grandmother of Two Tried for Her Faith, Two Grandchildren Depending on Her Care in Dire Situation

(Minghui.org) A grandmother in Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province stood trial on January 13, 2023 for her faith in Falun Gong. The judge threatened to give Ms. Tong Jinpin a heavy term if she didn’t renounce her belief. She refused to betray her faith.

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

Several officers broke into Ms. Tong’s home at around 5 a.m. on June 16, 2022. None of them showed their IDs or search warrant. Ms. Tong’s granddaughter, who lives with her, called her father in another city about the police raid. 

Shortly after, Ms. Tong demanded to use the restroom, but the police stayed outside her bedroom to watch her. Seeing what was happening on the video call, Ms. Tong’s son was outraged and he shouted at the police, “Don’t you have mothers and do you watch your mother use the restroom?” Only then did the police step aside.

After the police brought Ms. Tong to the police car, they returned to her home and took away her Falun Gong books and a media player. They refused to provide a list of confiscated items. The police also verbally abused Ms. Tong’s granddaughter for calling her father.

The raid and arrest of Ms. Tong dealt the 14-year-old girl a heavy blow. She did poorly in the high school entrance exam two days later, when she was usually a top student in her class.

Both Ms. Tong’s granddaughter and grandson, an 11-year-old fourth grader, have been living with her since they were a few months old, as their parents have been working out of town. In Ms. Tong’s spare time, she also grew some crops to support the family.

After Ms. Tong was arrested, her son entrusted a neighbor to help care for his two children. He also made frequent trips to Jiujiang to handle her case, which has had a negative impact on his job. 

Ms. Tong’s son has diabetes and his wife has lupus erythematosus. The family has to pay a large medical bill every month, as well as the house mortgage. With the interruptions in their work and daily lives, they are facing even more severe financial strain.

During Ms. Tong’s hearing by the Jiujiang City Intermediate Court on January 13, her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. The judge attempted to force her to plead guilty by threatening to give her a heavy term, but she refused to be intimidated.

Perpetrators’ contact information:

Xiong Xiaoxiong (熊小雄), head, Ruichang City Domestic Security Office: [phone], [phone]Luo Bing (罗兵), head, Yongquan Village Police Station: [phone]Deng Hantian (邓寒天), instructor, Yongquan Village Police Station: [phone]

Related report:

Grandma Detained for Her Faith, Two Grandchildren Traumatized