(Minghui.org) The year 2015 ended in Qingdao City, Shandong Province with 14 local residents sentenced to prison for practicing Falun Gong–a self-cultivation belief system being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.
The sentenced include 12 women and 2 men, who were given between 1 and 10 years for refusing to renounce their faith. Except for one who was released on medical parole, the rest remain incarcerated in various prisons in the province.
In addition to the 14 sentenced practitioners, many other Qingdao residents also experienced various degrees of persecution, with 31 arrested and 16 harassed at home in 2015.
Fourteen Qingdao practitioners arrested prior to 2015 were tried and given sentences in 2015.
Ms. Li Xue: 10 years
Ms. Song Guixiang: 8 years (released on medical parole on December 10, 2015)
Ms. Qi Yaoyuan, Mr. Niu Xibao, Ms. Dou Hongxia, and Ms. Dou Hongxia: each 4 years
Ms. Chen Guangxia: 4 years (reduced to 3.5 years upon appeal)
Ms. Sun Lin: 3.5 years
Ms. Pang Yufen, Ms. Liu Feng'e, Ms. Wang Xiuying, and Ms. He Xiuxiang: 3 years
Mr. Zhang Meilei: 3 years (reduced to 2.5 years upon appeal)
Ms. Sun Liping: 1.5 years
Ms. Sun Jihua: 1 year.
In addition to above 14 sentenced, two practitioners arrested prior to 2015 and one arrested in 2015 were also tried. One walked free after the trial, while the other two are waiting to hear their fate.
Ms. Wang Jingtao was tried on October 13 without her family's knowledge. Ms. Qiao Junying was tried on November 17, five months after her arrest. Both are awaiting their verdicts at the time of writing.
Ms. An Xinyun defended her constitutional right to practice Falun Gong at her trial on November 24. She was let go after she firmly refused to sign on the court proceeding record.
Every month of 2015 saw some Qingdao residents arrested for their belief in Falun Gong. December recorded the most arrests, with 7 taken into custody.
One of the arrested has already been tried. She is the above-mentioned Ms. Qiao Junying. It remains to be investigated whether the remaining 30 practitioners have been released or are facing prosecution.
Below is a list of practitioners arrested:
January: Zhao Huahua
February: Sun Yunchuan
March: Hou Baoqin and Ms. Song
April: Zhou Guihua, Xiao Shuling, and three practitioners who names remain to be investigated
May: Cheng Shufang
June: Wang Chengmei and Qiao Junying
July: Zhang Xuehua, Liu Miyi, and Zhou Yuxiang
August: Zhang Kemin
September: Ji Xiuling, Liu Fengyun, Liu Hongfang, and Zhang Qinuo
October: Wei Chunrong and Guo Qiyun
November: Liu Xianghong and Wang Hua
December: Jiang Tao, Zhang Junying, Zhang Yuzhen, Li Fujun, Xue Yunxiu, Liu Aiying, and a practitioner surnamed Xue
The following practitioners were harassed at home by police on multiple occasions:Xu Zengdong, Li Cairong, Zhang Yuzhen, Yin Yumei, Song Zhaoping, Liang Huiyuan, An Hongyan, Ding Peige, Xu Caiying, Cheng Xiantang, Luan Hecheng, Xue Guixian, Shi Guoxing, Zhao Xinfeng, Jiang Xiuying, and a practitioner surnamed Dong.
Song Hongbin went missing, and his family still has no clue of his whereabouts.