(Minghui.org) A 73-year-old woman in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province was recently sentenced to 2.5 years with a 2,000-yuan fine for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Her husband and daughter, both of whom are disabled and rely on her for care, have struggled to fend for themselves since she was taken away.
Ms. Zhao Caixia was approached by the police and had her luggage searched while she and her sister, Ms. Zhao Caihong, were waiting to board a train at the Harbin City Train Station on April 25, 2025. Upon discovering paper currency printed with information about Falun Gong, the police arrested the sisters and took them to a police station. The police also raided both sisters’ homes and seized their Falun Gong books, informational materials, and portraits of Falun Gong’s founder.
Ms. Zhao Caihong was released after 15 days, while Ms. Zhao Caixia was held at the Harbin City Second Detention Center.
The police submitted Ms. Zhao Caixia’s case to the Harbin Railway Transportation Procuratorate on July 28. Prosecutor Jiang Yiqun indicted her in late August. She appeared in the Harbin Railway Transportation Court on September 16 and her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. The judge convicted Ms. Zhao days later.
Prior to her retirement, Ms. Zhao Caixia was the deputy director of the Quality Inspection Department of Acheng Textile Printing and Dyeing Factory. She used to have severe rheumatoid arthritis and gout, which rendered her almost unable to walk. She tried various treatments, only to see her condition deteriorate over time. In just two months after she took up Falun Gong in 2005, Ms. Zhao recovered and has enjoyed good health since.
Energetic and healthy again, Ms. Zhao has been taking good care of her husband and daughter for the past two decades. Her husband suffers from a slipped disc, gout, and a parasitic brain infection; he is bedridden most of the time and unable to take care of himself. Their daughter has a mental illness and needs constant supervision. With Ms. Zhao’s prison sentence, they are now in a very difficult situation.
Sole Caregiver of Disabled Husband and Daughter Detained for Her Faith