(Minghui.org) The Zhanhua County Court changed their original sentences and gave heavier sentences to three Falun Gong practitioners on September 1, 2014, under the pressure from the Binzhou City 610 Office and Procuratorate.

Mr. Fan Zhiyong was sentenced to six-years in prison, extending the original sentence of four-and-a-half-years.

Ms. Zhang Beibei, Mr. Fan's wife, in her 20's, was sentenced to three-years in prison from the original three-years of probation.

Ms. Sun Yuxia is in her 30's. Her sentence was changed to three-and-a-half-years of probation from a three-year probation.

Ms. Sun and Ms. Zhang were illegally arrested on July 23, 2013, for telling others about the persecution of Falun Gong. The police arrested Mr. Fan the next day. They ransacked his home and confiscated computers, printers, and other personal belongings. The court announced the original sentences several days after the first trial on December 6, 2013. The Binzhou City Procuratorate and 610 Office rejected the sentencing, claiming that the sentences were too light.

The court retried the case on June 20, 2014. During the trial, the practitioners' attorney pleaded innocent on behalf of his clients and called for acquittal of the practitioners, given that they were not in violation of existing Chinese laws. The court released Ms. Zhang and Ms. Sun on probation.

However, the court president called Ms. Zhang at the end of August, asking her to come to the court to complete some documents. Instead, she was detained.

The court changed the original sentences on September 1.

The court did not inform the practitioners' families of the re-sentencing as required by law.

Mr. Fan's whereabouts is unknown.