(Minghui.org) Three family members in Maoming City, Guangdong Province were sentenced to prison by Maonan District Court on August 13, 2019 for not renouncing their faith in Falun Gong.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999.
Ms. Lin Lizen and her son Mr. Wu Chaoqi each received five years with a 10,000 yuan fine. Her younger sister, Ms. Lin Yanmei, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison and fined 8,000 yuan.
The practitioners' lawyers complained to the judge about the heavy terms against their clients. The judge implied that he only announced the verdicts that had been predetermined by the 610 Office and he didn't have any say on it. “Feel free to appeal it if you don't agree.” he said to the lawyers.
The 610 Office is an extralegal agency tasked with eradicating Falun Gong and given power to override the judicial system.
Ms. Lin Yanmei's son, Wang Ruixin, applied to attend their trial at the makeshift courtroom inside Maoming No.1 Detention Center, but was rejected.
The Lin sisters' 86-year-old father, Mr. Lin Tong, was saddened by their prison sentences. “Why do they persecute good people like this? I will go to the city government to appeal for them.” he said.
While arresting the three family members in late August 2018, Chen Changxing (director of 610 Office) and Lu Shanghui (director of Domestic Security Division), said that “we've finally arrested you all. Now we can get a bonus for it.”
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