(Minghui.org) A 77-year-old resident of Ma’anshan City, Anhui Province, was sentenced to one and a half years with a 5,000-yuan fine in August 2024 for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Yang Yuping was arrested at the entrance to her apartment complex in early May 2024, by two police officers and two community workers. They raided her home and took her for a physical examination. She was released on bail after she was found to have lung infection.
Four officers from the Yushan District Police Department stopped Ms. Yang at the entrance to her apartment complex on May 14, 2024 and forced her to take them to her home. They ransacked her place and took her to the police department for interrogation. An officer accused her of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used to frame Falun Gong practitioners.
Ms. Yang was released on bail that night after a physical examination showed she also had heart disease and high blood pressure.
The Huashan District Procuratorate indicted Ms. Yang on June 13, 2024. While deposing her, prosecutor Hu Xiaobo alleged that the Falun Gong books and informational materials confiscated from her were evidence that she broke the law. She refuted that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and refused to admit guilt as Hu demanded.
The Huashan District Court tried Ms. Yang on August 2, 2024. Judge Zhu Lingling asked her if she admitted guilt. She said no. Zhu walked up to her and repeated the question. She again replied that she broke no law in practicing Falun Gong.
Zhu adjourned the hearing and sentenced Ms. Yang to one and a half years days later (exact time unknown). This is not the first time that she has been targeted for her faith. She previously served three years in a labor camp and another three years in prison.
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Three Practitioners' Case Files Sent to the Ma'anshan City Procuratorate
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