(Minghui.org)
Name: Wang SuxiaChinese Name: 王素霞Gender: FemaleAge: 58City: BeijingProvince:Occupation: unknownDate of Death: August 28, 2021Date of Most Recent Arrest: August 1, 2017Most Recent Place of Detention: a local brainwashing center
Name: Sun ZhigangChinese Name: 孙志刚Gender: MaleAge: 61City: BeijingProvince:Occupation: unknownDate of Death: February 28, 2024Date of Most Recent Arrest: June 27, 2021Most Recent Place of Detention: a local police station
A Beijing resident in her 80s was sentenced to one and a half years for practicing Falun Gong, while still mourning the death of her daughter-in-law. Ms. Zhang Wenfang was allowed to serve time outside of prison due to her mobility issues, only to be struck with another tragedy when her son died earlier this year.
Both Mr. Sun Zhigang, 61, and his wife, Ms. Wang Suxia, 58, lost their lives after suffering repeated persecution for their faith in Falun Gong. The couple and Ms. Zhang spent years living away from home to avoid being targeted for their faith. Mr. Sun and Ms. Wang’s health deteriorated as a result. Ms. Wang died on August 28, 2021 and her husband died on February 28, 2024.
Mr. Sun took up Falun Gong in 1995 and Ms. Wang joined him the next year. After the persecution began in 1999, Mr. Sun was forced to resign from his job at the Changping District Locomotive Depot. He was later given two forced labor terms totaling three years and eight months between September 2001 and 2005. His wife also served an unknown term of forced labor. Their child had to quit school after 9th grade when both of them were in detention.
The couple’s home was raided on October 20, 2006 with Ms. Wang arrested and detained for an unknown amount of time.
The police came at them again at 6 a.m. on May 5, 2016 and raided their home. Mr. Sun was held at the Yanqing District Detention Center for two weeks and Ms. Wang at the Changping District Detention Center for an unknown amount of time.
The couple were harassed multiple times in April and May 2017. More than thirty agents broke into their home on August 1, 2017 and took them to the local brainwashing center. They went on a hunger strike. Ms. Wang was released next day and Mr. Sun on the fourth day.
To avoid further persecution, the couple lived away from home and their health declined as they struggled to make ends meet and also worried about their safety. They later returned home around 2021. The Zhangshanying Police Station officers suddenly broke in on June 27, 2021 and arrested Mr. Sun. He had already been struggling with slow reaction and slurred speech at the time, but the police still attempted to keep him in detention. They ended up having to release him after he failed the required physical examination. They returned numerous times to harass him and his wife.
Ms. Wang died two months later, on August 28, 2021. Mr. Sun’s condition worsened afterwards and he passed away on February 28, 2024.
Mr. Sun’s mother Ms. Zhang also faced repeated persecution for practicing Falun Gong. Five officers from the Zhangshanying Police Station broke in on May 7, 2017 and took pictures of her house and exterior. They also tore the couplets on her door bearing Falun Gong messages. Three days later, another group of officers came and Ms. Zhang refused to give them the keys to some rooms. The police rummaged through her drawers and found the keys. They confiscated her audio tapes, video tapes, DVDs, CD burners and Falun Gong informational materials.
The police installed surveillance cameras in her house, as well as those of her two sons, including Mr. Sun.
Four officers raided Ms. Zhang’s home again on October 8, 2017 and confiscated some Falun Gong informational materials. Not long after, two female bailiffs from the Yanqing District Procuratorate and three others came to depose her and question where she got the confiscated items.
Ms. Zhang was indicted in early December 2017. Two bailiffs came to her home and showed her the indictment.
The Yanqing District Court tried Ms. Zhang at her own home in 2023 and sentenced her to one and a half years. Due to her mobility issues, she was allowed to serve time outside of prison. The local judicial bureau was tasked with monitoring her. They came to harass her at home twice a month. Her surviving son was outraged that they’d still harass his mother after he lost his brother and sister-in-law to the persecution of Falun Gong.