(Minghui.org) A resident of Zhengzhou City, Henan Province is still serving time for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind and body discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999.
Ms. Wang Guirong, a 69-year-old retired economist, was arrested on February 5, 2018 for talking to people about Falun Gong. She was sentenced to a three-year prison term by the Jinshui District Court on July 13, 2018.
This was the second time that Ms. Wang has been persecuted for her faith. She and her husband, Mr. Zhao Jianjun, a physician, were sentenced to 2 and 1.5 years, respectively, in 2008. She served two years in Xinxiang Women’s Prison. Her husband was released on bail after he became paralyzed due to being tortured in the detention center.
After the couple's arrest in 2008, their son worked tirelessly to rescue them, only to see his parents still sentenced to prison. The young man was so devastated that he contemplated suicide several times. His paternal grandmother locked herself in the room for a week upon learning of her son and daughter-in-law's prison sentences.
Previous Persecution
A month after Ms. Wang took up Falun Gong in early 1999, her many ailments, including neck issues, frozen shoulder, and a heart condition, disappeared.
She and her husband were arrested for passing out informational materials about Falun Gong on August 5, 2007. The police ransacked their home in the evening and confiscated their computer, printers, and many pieces of jewelry, valued at more than 30,000 yuan.
One officer who ransacked the home said to Mr. Zhao, “I’m a special agent from the 610 Office. I’ve ransacked many homes of people like you. Do you think we need a warrant to do that?”
After one night of detention, the couple was transferred to the Zhengzhou City No. 1 Detention Center.
Ms. Wang was held there in a small, 200 square-foot room, with more than 40 other people. They had to sleep on their sides next to each other. Even toilet area was used by people for sleeping. Even so, the space still wasn’t large enough to fit everyone, and some people had to stand and take turns sleeping.
When female practitioners took showers, the male guards could watch without any restrictions.
Both Ms. Wang and Mr. Zhao were forced to work for an average of 15 hours each day, assembling disposable cigarette lighters. If they didn’t finish their quota on time, the guards didn’t allow them to eat or use the restroom.
After sitting for prolonged periods of time each day, Ms. Wang had sores on her buttocks, which were very painful.
The guards ordered the couple’s son to pay thousands of yuan each month to “improve their food and reduce their workload,” but things remained the same for them despite the payments.
The clothing sent by Ms. Wang’s son was also taken by the police, and then sold to the detention center’s shop for extra income.
Mr. Zhao became incontinent and incapacitated months later. He was released on bail on December 21, 2007.
The Jinshui District Court sentenced him and Ms. Wang to 1.5 and 2 years on January 10, 2008.
While Ms. Wang was sent to Xinxiang Women’s Prison on February 20, 2008, Mr. Zhao was waived of serving time due to his physical condition.
Ms. Wang was monitored around the clock in the prison by two inmates. She was forced to watch videos slandering Falun Gong every day and not allowed to talk to anyone. The inmates ordered her to write statements renouncing Falun Gong, and when she refused to comply, she was deprived of sleep and had other restrictions imposed on her.
