(Minghui.org) It was learned in late December 2023 that a 53-year-old woman in Baoding City, Hebei Province had been sentenced to two years for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Zang Yongjian’s sentencing stemmed from her arrest on September 26, 2022. Officers from the Jiezhuang Police Station harassed her days before and confiscated her computer, printer, and many other personal belongings during her arrest. They took her to the Baoding City Detention Center.
The Jingxiu District Procuratorate returned her case to the Jiezhuang Police Station, citing insufficient evidence, but the latter fabricated more evidence against her and got the procuratorate to indict her.
The Baoding City Court heard Ms. Zang’s case on August 17, 2023 and only allowed two of her family and friends to attend the hearing. The prosecution evidence included the police’s interrogation records, which Ms. Zang pointed out were entirely fabricated as she had never made those “confessions.”
Her family confirmed her conviction in December 2023 but still does not know her exact sentencing date. She is still likely held at the Baoding City Detention Center at the time of writing.
Ms. Zang’s husband divorced her because he was unable to cope with the persecution she suffered for her faith in Falun Gong. She moved out of their family house and rented a place to live alone. Her elderly ex-mother-in-law needed help with daily activities and Ms. Zang went to care for her whenever she had time.
Later her ex-mother-in-law hired two house aides, but Ms. Zang still helped when the aides took time off. Weeks before her arrest, she was caring for her ex-mother-in-law again. The elderly woman was baffled as to why Ms. Zang suddenly stopped visiting her one day. Upon learning of her ex-daughter-in-law’s arrest, she said that Falun Gong gave Ms. Zang a big heart, but the communist regime put her in detention for upholding her faith.
Before her divorce, Ms. Zang also volunteered to be the main caregiver for her husband’s father and two brothers, who were hospitalized years apart for terminal diseases. She offered help because no one in their extended family had time or was willing to care for patients. She took care of the three of them until they passed away one after another.
Ms. Zang was there again when her husband’s second brother’s child had a car accident and was hospitalized. She took care of him until he was discharged from the hospital.