(Minghui.org) While a Beijing woman remained detained for her faith, her disabled husband, who had relied on her care since they got married decades ago, was found dead on the Chinese New Year’s Day of 2017. Less than eight months later, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison and deprived of political rights for 2 years.
Ms. Qing Xiuying was arrested on January 21, 2016 for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. Her husband, Mr. Yang Wenguang, was also taken into custody even though he never practiced Falun Gong. He wasn’t released until more than 50 days later. While home alone, he struggled to fend for himself.
Ms. Qing was brutally tortured at Tongzhou Detention Center. A male officer once kicked her hard on the back. Her cellmates forced her to take cold showers and wear damp shorts and socks in the winter. When she cried from the endless abuse, several inmates sat on her to try to silence her.
Ms. Qing appeared in court on November 30, 2016. Her lawyer entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf, as no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong. The lawyer received a notice on January 20, 2017 that prosecutor Hei Jiantong had requested to delay announcing the verdict so he could gather more evidence.
Eight days later, on January 28 (Chinese New Year), Ms. Qing’s husband, 61, was found dead. It is unclear when he died.
Ms. Qing’s trial resumed on September 7. Prosecutor Hei alleged that police had confiscated 250 Falun Gong books from Ms. Qing’s home and that these books were equivalent to 1,000 copies of Falun Gong materials. He proceeded to “convert” other confiscated items into 6,000 additional copies of Falun Gong materials. With “such a huge amount” of Falun Gong materials, he recommended a sentence of 7 to 10 years in prison.
The presiding judge sentenced Ms. Qing to 10 years on September 20. Her lawyer was left in disbelief that the prosecutor’s “conversion” became the legal basis for a guilty verdict.
This is not the first time that Ms. Qing has been targeted for her faith. Back in September 2009, she was arrested and given 2.5 years of forced labor. She suffered so much abuse at Beijing Women’s Forced Labor Camp that she developed a mental disorder. Fortunately, she gradually recovered after she resumed doing Falun Gong exercises upon release.
While Ms. Qing awaits transfer to prison following her latest arrest, her friends are sharing what they know about her.
According to her friend, Ms. Qing used to be a heavy smoker and drinker. She also had a bad temper and readily fought with others. She once smashed a foe’s store. After she began practicing Falun Gong, she quit smoking and drinking and also became much calmer and kinder.
She later married Mr. Yang Wenguang, a disabled man who needed care. Even though Mr. Yang didn’t practice Falun Gong himself, he was supportive of his wife because he knew that Falun Gong gave his wife strength to care for him without any complaint.
Having had firsthand experience with Falun Gong, Ms. Qing carried herself as a practitioner at all times, even after the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999.
Ms. Qing was staying at a hotel one day in 2000 when she found a wallet in a drawer in her room. She immediately went to the front desk and asked the staff there to help find the owner of the wallet. The staff couldn’t believe she didn’t pocket the wallet and wondered whether she had a faith. She said proudly, “I practice Falun Gong!” It was at the height of the persecution of Falun Gong, but she didn’t hesitate to reveal her practitioner status because she knew Falun Gong was nothing like what was depicted by the state propaganda.
In 2014, when Ms. Qing found a bag in her trash can, she opened it to see several dozen bankcards. She called the owner (whose contact information was in the bag) and delivered the bag to his home. He wanted to give her some cash in appreciation. She declined but used the opportunity to help him understand the Chinese communist party’s persecution of Falun Gong.
Ms. Yang and her husband worked hard to make a living. They initially ran a restaurant and later started a different business selling clothes. They made a decent amount of money, which enabled them to purchase multiple properties.
After the persecution began, Ms. Qing used her multiple residences to house local practitioners who were forced to leave home to avoid arrest. She also offered them financial support.
One young practitioner said, “I graduated college in June 2014 and needed a place. Ms. Qing rented a room to me at a very low price. She also prepared pans and pots for me. One year later, I moved to another house owned by Ms. Qing. As she lived nearby, she often sent me homemade foods.”
Another practitioner planned to immigrate to another country in 2015. He used to have a very good job but was fired after the persecution of Falun Gong began. Ms. Qing heard of his plan to move out of China and gave him tens of thousands of yuan to cover his trip cost.
Su Wei and Qing Xiuying of Beijing Sent to Forced Labor Camp
Ms. Qing Xiuying Develops Mental Disorders Due to Torture at the Beijing Women's Forced Labor Camp
60 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith in September 2017