(Minghui.org) A married couple in Beijing were convicted for their shared faith in Falun Gong and had their appeals rejected.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Li Wencai and Ms. Li Sujuan were arrested on April 18, 2020, after being reported for raising awareness about the persecution. The police raided their home and confiscated their Falun Gong books, computer, and printer. The couple were released on bail the next day after they were denied admission by the local detention center due to failing the physical examinations.
The Fangshan District Procuratorate indicted the couple on May 14, 2021. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the Fangshan District Court put their case on hold.
A judge showed up at the couple’s home on July 29, 2022, and demanded to have a virtual hearing of their case at their home. The judge forced them to sign their case document, threatening to take them back into custody if they didn’t comply.
The Minghui.org website confirmed in early March 2023 that Mr. Li and Ms. Li were sentenced to four and three years respectively. They appealed to the higher court, which ruled to uphold their original verdicts.
This isn’t the first time that Mr. Li has been persecuted. He was given a 1.5-year labor camp term on March 1, 2002, and arrested again on May 29, 2015, after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. He was held at the Fangshan District Detention Center and sentenced to one year on November 26, 2015.
Lou Yuhong (娄宇红), president of Fangshan District Court: +86-10-89366877