Married Couple Given Heavy Terms for Making Phone Calls about the Health Benefits of Their Faith

(Minghui.org) A married couple in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province were given heavy prison terms and fines around December 2022 for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Zhu Mingdi, a former deputy director of Songbei District Tax Bureau, suffered from high blood pressure, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and a severe heart condition when he was in his 30s. He sometimes fainted just walking down the street. One of the episodes was so severe that he almost died.

His wife, Ms. Cai Xiuying, a former official of the Heihe Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, took up Falun Gong in the 1990s and introduced the practice to her husband. Shortly after he learned the exercises, his medical conditions disappeared. The couple is full of gratitude for the practice and always eager to share their experience with others.

Mr. Zhu, Ms. Cai, and ten other practitioners were arrested on April 7 and 8, 2020, while making phone calls to the public about Falun Gong’s health benefits and how the Chinese communist regime has been covering up the coronavirus pandemic.

After being held in a hotel for a month-long brainwashing session, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Cai were released on bail in mid-May. Gu Songhai, the director of Heilongjiang Province Domestic Security Office, continued to harass and intimidate them.

Many of the couple’s personal belongings, including their car and Falun Gong-related items, were confiscated during their arrests. Upon returning home, Mr. Zhu frequently called officer Huang Kaichen of the Longnan Police Station, demanding the return of his confiscated items, but to no avail.

In early July 2022, Mr. Zhu called police chief Luan and sought the return of his confiscated items again. Days later on July 5, officer Huang called him and ordered him and his wife to pick up the confiscated items at the police station. The couple went there on the next day, only to be arrested and held in custody. Their arrests were approved soon after.

The Daqing City Court held a trial of the couple’s case in late December 2022. Mr. Zhu was sentenced to nine years and eight months, with a 60,000 yuan fine. Ms. Zhu was given ten years and fined 70,000 yuan. Both of them have appealed the verdicts.

In addition to the couple, seven other practitioners arrested together with the couple in April 2020 were also sentenced to prison on November 17, 2021. The following are their verdicts:

Mr. Li Lizhuang, a 48-year-old former orthopedic surgeon, was sentenced to ten years and eight months with an 80,000 yuan fine.Ms. Tang Zhuyin, in her 70s, was sentenced to nine years and four months with a 50,000 yuan fine.Ms. Zhao Lihua was sentenced to seven years and five months with a 40,000 yuan fine.Mr. Huo Xiaohui was sentenced to seven years and three months with a 40,000 yuan fine.Ms. Ding Yan was sentenced to four years and two months with a 30,000 yuan fine.Ms. Jiao Qihua was sentenced to four years with a 30,000 yuan fine.Ms. Li Yanqing was sentenced to one year and ten months with a 20,000 yuan fine.

Related report:

Harbin, Heilongjiang Province: Twelve Arrested in Same District in Two Days, Six Face Prosecution