(Minghui.org) A 57-year-old Tonghua City, Jilin Province, resident was sentenced to three years in early May 2023 for her faith in Falun Gong, three years after she finished serving a four-year prison term. Ms. Yan Shufang was admitted to Jilin Province Women's Prison (located in the capital city of Changchun) days later on May 15.
Ms. Yan Shufang was arrested on September 22, 2022, and held at the Tonghua City Detention Center before her transfer to prison. Her arrest stemmed from an appeal letter she wrote to the local Social Security Bureau to protest the suspension of her pension in December 2021.
Instead of addressing her appeal, the Social Security Bureau turned in the letter to the police, resulting in her arrest on August 16, 2022. The police interrogated her with the excuse that the letter mentioned “Falun Gong.” She was later placed under house arrest, and taken back into custody on September 22.
The police later submitted Ms. Yan’s case to the Liuhe County Procuratorate, which then indicted her and moved her case to the Liuhe County Court.
Terrified by Ms. Yan’s persecution, her mother-in-law passed away in early December 2022.
Ms. Yan’s family had a video call with her on February 10, 2023. She told them that she was suffering from high blood pressure, a heart condition, kidney failure, as well as a stroke. Her family hired a lawyer for her, but the local justice bureau barred the lawyer from visiting her.
The presiding judge, Lu Xu, of the Liuhe County Court, summoned Ms. Yan’s husband to the court on February 26, 2023. Lu questioned him as to who prepared the defense argument and bail release application for Ms. Yan. Lu threatened to arrest and sentence him if he insisted on seeking justice for his wife.
On March 7, 100 days after the passing of Ms. Yan’s mother-in-law, the police arrested her husband and questioned him regarding how he hired the lawyer for her. The police later harassed the lawyer as well and pressured the justice bureau of his city to force him to drop Ms. Yan’s case.
Ms. Yan’s family recently confirmed that the judge sentenced her to a three-year prison term in early May.
Ms. Yan has been arrested multiple times since the onset of the persecution and spent 13 months in a forced labor camp and 4 years in prison for upholding her faith. She was subjected to electric shocks, tied up in a spread eagle position, force fed, and administered with toxic drugs while in custody.
Related reports:
Two Years After Serving Previous Wrongful Term, Jilin Woman Faces Prosecution Again
Jilin Woman Brutally Tortured for More Than Five Years for Upholding Her Faith
Imprisoned Woman Put in Solitary Confinement, Denied Phone Calls and Family Visits
Jilin Woman on Hunger Strike for Over One Month, Now in Dire Condition
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