(Minghui.org) Two Jieyang City, Guangdong Province residents in their 80s were taken into custody in May and June 2023 to serve time for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Yao Jingjiao, 84, and Ms. Jiang Biyin, 81, were seized at a private home on June 14, 2020, while reading Falun Gong books together with nine other local residents. Although both women were released on bail after spending a day in custody, the police and residential committee staff harassed them on a regular basis. Their bail conditions were renewed twice, in June 2021 and June 2022.
The two practitioners stood trial at the Jiedong District Court in August 2022, and were convicted three months later. Ms. Yao was was sentenced to three years and fined 30,000 yuan. Ms. Jiang was given six months with a 5,000-yuan fine.
Officers from the Rongcheng District Domestic Security Office went to Ms. Yao’s home on May 5, 2023, claiming they were taking her for a physical examination. After the examination, they took her directly to the Jiedong District Detention Center, without sending her home as promised.
A month later on June 13, 2023, officers from the Rongcheng District Domestic Security Office went to Ms. Jiang’s home to also take her to the Jiedong District Detention Center. Her family tried to stop the police, but were not successful. They questioned the police as to why they insisted on taking an 81-year-old woman into custody. The police responded that they’d already taken an even older woman (referring to Ms. Yao) to the same detention center.
Both Ms. Yao and Ms. Jiang have been under tremendous pressure since their arrests and they have aged quickly. Their families said they were in low spirits and looked haggard. Given their advanced ages, their families are deeply worried about their loved-ones’ wellbeing in detention.
Related Reports:
84-Year-Old Imprisoned Three Years for Her Faith
Two Women, 83 and 80, Sentenced to Prison for Reading Falun Gong Books Together
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