(Minghui.org) A Yinan County, Shandong Province resident was secretly sentenced to three and a half years in prison on July 15, 2020, after she tried to seek justice for two relatives who lost their lives to the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong, a mind-body discipline based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Ms. Wang Xiai, in her 60s and also a Falun Gong practitioner, was arrested on January 5, 2020, at her son’s place in Linyi City, about 300 miles from Yinan. The police had shown up at her own home earlier that day but didn’t find her. A villager then reported that she had gone to her son’s place to help take care of her grandchild. The police drove to Linyi in the afternoon and arrested Ms. Wang.
While the police claimed that they arrested Ms. Wang only for her faith, her family suspects that they were also trying to stop her from seeking justice for her two relatives, Ms. Xing Ximei and Ms. Li Changfang, who both died in custody under suspicious circumstances after being arrested for practicing Falun Gong.
Ms. Xing, mother-in-law of Ms. Wang’s son, died in custody on November 20, 2017, 13 days after her arrest. Ms. Li, a sister-in-law of Ms. Wang's, died in custody on July 12, 2019.
Ms. Wang was held in the Hedong District Detention Center, and her arrest was approved on February 11, 2020. The authorities denied her family and lawyer from visiting her, citing the coronavirus pandemic.
The Yinan County Procuratorate returned her case to the police several times due to insufficient evidence before indicting her and forwarding her case to the court.
Ms. Wang was secretly tried on June 18, 2020, and sentenced to three and a half years on July 15.
The authorities allowed Ms. Wang’s lawyer to visit her on July 27, the last day of her 15-day appeal window. The lawyer urged her to still file the appeal despite the impending deadline.
Related reports:
Still Mourning Two Family Members' Persecution Deaths, Shandong Woman Faces Indictment for Her Faith
Husband Arrested for Refusing to Give Consent to Have Wife’s Body Cremated
Four Falun Gong Practitioners in Shandong Tried for Their Faith
Linyi City, Shandong Province: 34 Falun Gong Practitioners Still Incarcerated for Their Faith
Shandong Woman Dies 13 Days After Being Arrested for Her Faith
Shandong Falun Gong Practitioners Targeted in Communist Regime's Gang Crackdown Campaign
