(Minghui.org) A former middle school teacher lost his job for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong. He is now imprisoned for eight years, also because of his faith.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Many who refuse to renounce their faith have been detained and sentenced and fired from their jobs.

Mr. Zhu Puzhao, a native of Ningxiang City, Hunan Province, was arrested on October 12, 2017, shortly after he moved to Loudi City to work as a tutor. This 43-year-old award-winning teacher was fired by his school in 2014 for not renouncing his faith.

Mr. Zhu appeared in the Louxing District Court on July 5, 2018, and was later given the verdict. It's not clear whether he has been sent to prison.

Several other practitioners traveled from Ningxiang City to attend his hearing but were stopped and searched by Ningxiang Domestic Security Division officers.

Now that Mr. Zhu is in prison, his wife has become very reserved and hesitant to talk to local practitioners, who only want to offer her help, for fear of retaliation from the authorities. She is struggling to take care of their teenage daughter on her own.

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