Senior Geological Engineer and Father of U.S. Resident Sentenced to Eight Years and Fined 100K Yuan

(Minghui.org) A senior geological engineer employed by the Shengli Oilfield in Dongying City, Shandong Province, was sentenced to eight years with a 100,000-yuan fine on April 22, 2023.

Mr. Zhou Deyong was arrested on April 23, 2021, for practicing Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999. His arrest came six months after he returned to China from a trip to the U.S. His wife, Ms. You Ling, who traveled with him, stayed in the U.S. with their son Mr. Zhou You, who resides in Florida.

Ms. You and the younger Mr. Zhou, both steadfast Falun Gong practitioners, are on the Chinese government’s blacklist due to their active participation in activities exposing the persecution. Mr. Zhou Deyong has been practicing on and off. Not realizing he had also become a target, he returned to China alone.

For two weeks after Mr. Zhou’s arrest, the police kept his family in the dark concerning his whereabouts and also denied his lawyer’s request to visit him.

Mr. Zhou’s wife and son sought help from their Congressman Gus Bilirakis of Florida. Rep. Bilirakis wrote to Xi Jinping, the head of the Chinese Communist Party, calling for Mr. Zhou’s release. After that, Mr. Zhou’s lawyer was notified that he was detained at the Binhai Detention Center and the lawyer was allowed to visit him.

The Dongying District Procuratorate approved Mr. Zhou’s arrest on May 31, 2021. The police submitted his case to the prosecutor on October 29, 2021.

The Dongying District Court held two hearings of Mr. Zhou’s case, on August 25, 2022, and January 14, 2023. The judge announced on April 22 to sentence him to eight years with a 100,000-yuan fine. He has appealed the verdict.

Prior to his latest sentencing, Mr. Zhou had been previously arrested in 2012 for working with his wife to raise awareness about the persecution. He was detained in the local brainwashing center for a month.

Perpetrators’ information:

Zhang Ting (张亭), judge, the Dongying District Court: [phone], [phone]Ren Yaohai (任耀海), prosecutor, the Dongying District Procuratorate: [phone]

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