(Minghui.org) After eleven months of detention, Mr. Cheng Deliang, a Falun Gong practitioner from Yantai, Shandong Province, was recently sentenced to five years in prison by Kaifa District Court.

Mr. Cheng and his wife, Ms. Tang Yulan, were arrested at home on September 29, 2017. While Mr. Cheng was kept in custody at Yantai No. 2 Detention Center, Ms. Tang was released after one month of detention at Yantai Detention Center, on November 2, 2017.

Officers from Jinqiao Police Station, who orchestrated the couple's arrest, submitted Mr. Cheng's case to Kaifa District Procuratorate on January 27, 2018. The procuratorate twice rejected the case, citing insufficient evidence. Mr. Cheng insisted that he didn't violate any law in practicing Falun Gong or having Falun Gong books at his home.

At the police's third attempt, the procuratorate accepted the case and submitted it to Kaifa District Court on May 28, 2018.

The court tried Mr. Cheng on June 27. His lawyer defended his innocence, emphasizing that practicing Falun Gong is not illegal and that spiritual belief is protected by the Chinese constitution. The judge adjourned the trial without announcing a verdict.

It was recently learned that Mr. Cheng was sentenced to five years in prison.

Perpetrators' contact information:
Zhu Hongjin (朱红锦), officer at Jinqiao Police Station: +86-18660072088Wang Xuexin (王学新), police officer who ransacked Mr. Cheng's home: +86-18660066615, +86-535-6380883, +86-13791240156Zhang Desong (张德嵩), prosecutor of Mr. Cheng's case: +86-535-3012733Zhang Jianshan (张建山), presiding judge of Mr. Cheng's case: +86-535-6098191