(Minghui.org) A Shanghai woman was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison in March 2024 for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.

Ms. Tan Jing was arrested at home on December 21, 2023, and admitted to the Qingpu Women’s Prison at an unknown date. Her term is set to end in October 2026.

This is not the first time that Ms. Tan has been targeted for her faith, which she took up in April 1999 and credits for curing her gynecological diseases. Her employer, Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator, fired her at the end of 2001, because she refused to renounce Falun Gong. She was two years shy of reaching retirement age at the time. It is unclear whether she was later allowed to claim retirement benefits.

Ms. Tan was arrested in July 2002 and given two years of forced labor. After another arrest in July 2005, she was taken to a psychiatric hospital even though she was mentally healthy.

Several officers seized Ms. Tan on the morning of November 8, 2019, as she was on her way to get groceries. They took her home and raided it, confiscating her Falun Gong books, informational materials, computer, printer, and cell phone. She learned later one of the officers was Tang Zhiquan from the Bijiang Police Station.

After nine months of criminal detention in the Fengxian Detention Center, Ms. Tan was released on bail for health reasons. The Fengxian District Court postponed her trial several times before holding a hearing on October 23, 2020. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. She was reportedly sentenced to three and a half years (exact sentence yet to be confirmed) and filed an appeal afterwards. She was allowed to go home after the hearing. It’s unclear if she was later taken back into custody to serve time.