(Minghui.org) Three Dandong City residents arrested for their faith were driven out of the local detention center, and they learned upon arriving at the destination that they were to face trial.
Judge Dong Wen of the local Zhenxin Court didn’t inform the defendants’ families or lawyers. He sentenced all three to prison ten days later.
Ms. Wang Guifang, Ms. Zhang Shujie, and Ms. Zhao Hong’e were targeted because they refused to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.
Ms. Wang was arrested on November 11, 2016 and tried on December 8, 2017. Ms. Zhang and Ms. Zhao were arrested on March 21, 2017 and tried jointly as soon as Ms. Wang’s hearing ended.
Judge Dong sentenced Ms. Wang to 4 years in prison and the other two women each 3.5 years on December 18. They have all filed appeals with the Dandong City Intermediate Court.
This is not the first time that Ms. Zhang and Ms. Zhao have been targeted for their faith. Ms. Zhao was given 8 years in prison in 2007 and Ms. Zhang 7 years in 2009.
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