(Minghui.org) It was confirmed by Minghui.org in late February 2024 that a Tahe County, Heilongjiang Province, resident has been sentenced to one year for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Zhang Xiuchun was arrested on March 17, 2023, for distributing Falun Gong materials. After a brief interrogation by the arresting officers from the Tahe County Police Department, she was released on bail.

In the next few months, Ms. Zhang faced constant harassment by the local police and residential committee staff members, including Han Degang, the head of Tahe County Domestic Security Office, and another officer named Ma Chaoling. They questioned her whether she had contact with other Falun Gong practitioners and who provided the materials for her to distribute. The Tahe County TV station also broadcast a program that slandered her, bringing tremendous pressure on her and her family.

The police submitted Ms. Zhang’s case to the Tahe County Procuratorate in early September 2023. She was indicted in mid-October and had her case forwarded to the Tahe County Court.

While Minghui.org confirmed Ms. Zhang’s sentencing in February 2024, details about her trial or sentencing were not available. She is now serving time outside of prison.