(Minghui.org) Following a report on the wrongful conviction of an 87-year-old woman in Baiyin City, Gansu Province, on September 5, 2023, Minghui.org recently confirmed that four other local practitioners tried at the same time as Ms. Liao An’an on March 30, 2023, were also sentenced for their shared faith in Falun Gong.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body practice based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Liao, who had been twice jailed before for her faith, was sentenced to three years and nine months with an 8,000-yuan fine. She was also ordered to re-serve the last three years of her second prison term, even though she had already served those three years at home per a court order and under the close surveillance of local authorities. It is unclear when Ms. Liao, who has been under house arrest, would be taken back into custody to serve the combined six years and nine months.
Ms. Li Qiaolian, 69, and Mr. Gu Fuman, 65, were both sentenced to three years and nine months with 8,000-yuan fines.
Mr. Wang Ligui, 62, was sentenced to three years and five months with a 6,000-yuan fine.
Ms. Zhao Qinzhen, 75, was sentenced to one year in prison with a 1.5-year probation. She was also fined 5,000 yuan.
Arrests
Ms. Liao, Ms. Li, Mr. Gu, and Mr. Wang were arrested at Mr. Wang’s home on January 14, 2022. Also seized were Mr. Wang’s five other guests, who are all Falun Gong practitioners.
Several hours after she was arrested, Ms. Liao had a medical emergency and was later put on house arrest. Mr. Wang, Mr. Gu, and Ms. Li are still held at the Baiyin City Detention Center at the time of this report. Mr. Wang’s other guests were released on bail.
It is unclear when and where Ms. Zhao was arrested. It is also unknown whether she is out on bail or still in detention.
Trial
The five practitioners were tried on March 30, 2023, with Ms. Liao joining remotely from her home (as she was unable to walk) and the other four appearing in person in the Baiyin District Court. The presiding judge, Gu Qinghua (no relation to Mr. Gu), didn’t allow the practitioners to testify in their own defense and instead tried to coerce them into admitting guilt during the six-hour hearing. Ms. Liao, Mr. Gu, and Ms. Li all stated that they were innocent of any crime and demanded an acquittal.
Judge Yang Hua and clerk Cai Xiaojing, as well as prosecutor Yu Hongfa, were also present at the court hearing.
Two court workers delivered a guilty verdict to Ms. Liao on September 5. The sentencing of Ms. Zhao, Ms. Li, Mr. Gu, and Mr. Wang was confirmed recently.
For details of the group arrest of Ms. Liao, Ms. Li, Mr. Gu, and Mr. Wang, as well as the prosecution of Ms. Liao, see the first related report listed below.
Related Reports:
Former Gansu Police Director Persecuted for His Faith
Three Senior Citizens Stand Up to Police Pressure to Renounce Falun Gong
Four Baiyin Falun Gong Practitioners Still Detained a Month after Illegal ArrestsFalun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in Baiyin City, Gansu Province
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