(Minghui.org) The Jinzhou City Intermediate Court in Liaoning Province ruled on July 2, 2024 to deny a local woman’s appeal against a six-year wrongful prison sentence for practicing Falun Gong.
Ms. Zhang Xiuqin, 61, was arrested on January 17, 2024 after being followed by officers from the Guta District Domestic Security Division. The police raided her home without producing proper documents. Prosecutor Li Feng of the Linghai City Procuratorate (Linghai is under the administration of Jinzhou) indicted Ms. Zhang at an unknown time. She appeared in the Linghai City Court on April 11, 2024 and was sentenced to six years and fined 12,000 yuan on May 10. She appealed to the Jinzhou City Intermediate Court, but her appeal was denied.
Ms. Zhang’s father, in his late 80s, was dealt a heavy blow by his daughter’s sentencing and his health quickly declined. He passed away on July 18, 2024, fourteen years after the passing of his wife, who was also once detained for practicing Falun Gong. He was constantly worried about his daughter when she was forced to live away from home to avoid the persecution.
Taking Up Falun Gong
Ms. Zhang was a victim of domestic violence after she got married. Her husband divorced her as soon as she gave birth to their daughter and took all of their valuables. She struggled to raise the child by herself.
In 1994, Ms. Zhang’s mother, Ms. Cai Guifen, began to practice Falun Gong. Her many ailments soon disappeared and she was able to wear dresses again in the summer, when she previously had to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants all year round.
Impressed by her mother’s changes, Ms. Zhang took up Falun Gong in 1997 and soon recovered from the ailments that had tormented her since childhood, including conditions with her brain, heart, stomach, shoulder, neck and skin. Her rheumatism, sciatica and chronic insomnia also disappeared.
Mother and Daughter Are Persecuted
Because Ms. Zhang went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong after the persecution started in 1999, she was given two years of forced labor in 2000 and endured torture in custody.
The police continued to harass Ms. Zhang and attempted to take her to a brainwashing center after she was released. She was forced to live away from home to avoid the persecution. Her workplace fired her, rendering her unqualified to receive a pension.
Ms. Zhang’s mother Ms. Cai was arrested on an unknown date for putting up posters about Falun Gong. She began drooling shortly after she was released from the detention center. Her family suspected that she was given toxic drugs while in custody. Meanwhile, the police and local community workers continued to harass her. They also arranged for people to monitor her every day, following her when she went out. Her health deteriorated due to the mental stress and she eventually became incapacitated.
The police attempted to arrest Ms. Zhang again on February 8, 2010, but she wasn’t home when they arrived. The police raided the residence that she shared with her parents and confiscated her Falun Gong books and computer. The police also arrested Ms. Zhang’s daughter and son-in-law and interrogated them for ten hours. Ms. Zhang was forced to live away from home again after that.
Worrying about her daughter, Ms. Cai’s condition worsened quickly. She passed away nine months later, on November 11, 2010.
Related Report:
Copyright © 2024 Minghui.org. All rights reserved.
