(Minghui.org) Two Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province residents were sentenced to prison on December 17, 2019 for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Ms. Zhang Kehui, 74, was sentenced to three years and three months by Nanshan District Court.

Ms. Liu Peiqin, 67, was given one year and seven months. She was released on December 29, 2019 after having served her term.

Ms. Zhang was arrested at her son’s home on May 29, 2018. One officer pointed a gun at her son’s head while the other officers handcuffed her and ransacked the place.

Ms. Liu was arrested on the next day while inquiring about Ms. Zhang’s case at the police station.

Both women were held at Futian Detention Center for five months, before being transferred to Nanshan District Detention Center. They developed medical conditions as a result of the mental distress.

Ms. Zhang experienced excessive fatigue and had no appetite. Ms. Liu had high blood pressure, heart muscle inflammation and kidney swelling.

The Nanshan Procuratorate returned their cases to the police due to insufficient evidence on November 2, 2018. The police refused to release them and submitted their cases again.

The two women appeared twice in Nanshan District Court, on April 4 and April 18, 2019.

Ms. Liu’s daughter and friend, Ms. Gong Fang, were arrested and barred from attending the second hearing, after Zhang Qingrong, the judge’s assistant, turned in their IDs to the police. They were held at the police station and interrogated the entire afternoon.

The police also called the landlord of Ms. Liu’s daughter and ordered him to stop renting the apartment to her.

Related report:Two Women Remain Captive For Their Faith Despite Police Failure to Resubmit Case Within Deadline