Wife and Husband Pass Away Less Than Two Years Apart in the Persecution of Their Faith in Falun Gong

(Minghui.org)

Name: Sun ZerongChinese Name: 孙泽荣Gender: FemaleAge: 63City: WuhanProvince: HubeiOccupation: N/ADate of Death: January 21, 2021Date of Most Recent Arrest: May 23, 2016Most Recent Place of Detention: A local lockup

Name: Yang LingfuChinese Name: 杨灵富Gender: MaleAge: 63City: WuhanProvince: HubeiOccupation: Employee at a food supply and marketing associationDate of Death: Late 2022Date of Most Recent Arrest: September 24, 2013Most Recent Place of Detention: Fanjiatai Prison

A married couple in Wuhan City, Hubei Province were subjected to repeated arrests and detention for not renouncing Falun Gong, after the Chinese communist regime ordered the persecution of the ancient mind-body practice in 1999. Ms. Sun Zerong was tortured almost to death at a brainwashing center. Mr. Yang Lingfu served four years in prison and was subjected to financial persecution after his release. Ms. Sun and Mr. Yang passed away one after another, in January 2021 and late 2022, respectively.

This is the second confirmed case of the passing of both husband and wife in Wuhan since 2023. It was reported earlier that Mr. Liu Shuisheng and his wife Ms. Hu Mingxiu both passed away in early 2023. They are survived by a son who has a mental disability and is unable to care for himself.

Ms. Sun Zerong’s Persecution

Ms. Sun was a soft-spoken and kind person. She was arrested in early 2003 and taken to the Etouwan Brainwashing Center. The police kept beating her, until she fainted. After she was resuscitated in the hospital, the police took her back to the brainwashing center and continued the beatings. When she was on the verge of death she was taken back to the hospital for resuscitation. Seeing that she might die at any time, the police left her in the hospital and ran away.

Ms. Sun was arrested again on June 5, 2013 for talking to people about Falun Gong on the street. She was detained at the Wuhan City No. 1 Lockup for 15 days.

Eight officers descended on the couple’s home on September 24, 2013 and deceived them into opening the door by claiming they needed to check their household registration form. The couple’s laptop computer, printers, blank DVDs, copy paper, and cellphones were confiscated. They were then taken to the Etouwan Brainwashing Center. Ms. Sun was released in the evening due to her high blood pressure. Both she and Mr. Yang were extorted a total of 1,100 yuan by the brainwashing center.

Ms. Sun’s last arrest was on May 23, 2016, after the plumber who was working at her apartment led the police there. They confiscated her Falun Gong books and DVDs, carried her downstairs, and took her to the police station. The police later revealed that they arrested her because she sued Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese communist regime who ordered the persecution of Falun Gong. Due to her dangerously high blood pressure, the police released her in the evening.

The non-stop arrests and harassment over the years took a toll on Ms. Sun’s health. She passed away on January 21, 2021. She was 63 years old.

Mr. Yang Lingfu’s Persecution

Mr. Yang Lingfu

Mr. Yang previously worked for the Dongxihu District Food Supply and Marketing Association. He was arrested in 1999 shortly after the onset of the persecution and detained for 15 days.

Three days after Mr. Yang’s arrest on September 24, 2013, he was transferred to the Wuhan City No. 2 Detention Center. As he was rejected admission because of high blood pressure, the police took him to the Ankang Hospital, which was affiliated with the Wuhan Police Department. He was admitted by the detention center three months later on December 11.

The police later submitted Mr. Yang’s case to the Qiaokou District Procuratorate, accusing him of printing Falun Gong books at home.

Mr. Yang appeared in Qiaokou District Court on April 11, 2014. His lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him. Four days later, the judge sentenced him to four years in Fanjiatai Prison.

The Wuhan Social Security Bureau suspended Mr. Yang’s pension in October 2021. The bureau claimed that according to a new policy, Mr. Yang shouldn’t be entitled to any retirement benefits while serving the four-year term. The bureau suspended his pension to pay back the 61,000 yuan he “owed.”

Although Mr. Yang had over 40 years of service at his workplace and he made contributions to his retirement account for 34 years, the bureau claimed that they only honored 17 years of his service and whenever he would start to receive pension again, the monthly payment would be adjusted from 2,700 yuan to 1,200 yuan.

While still mourning the passing of his wife, Mr. Yang was devastated by the financial persecution. His health started to decline and he passed away a year later in 2022.

Related reports:

Qiaokou District Procuratorate Attempts to Frame Mr. Yang Lingfu

Mr. Yang Lingfu Sentenced to Four-Year Prison Term