(Minghui.org) A Beijing resident was recently sentenced to two years for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Li Ruiling was arrested on January 20, 2020, after she was followed by the police while distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. The police took her back to her home and ransacked it. Her Falun Gong books, some of her materials, and her computer were confiscated.
Before the police left, Ms. Li’s uncle, in his 70s, dropped by. They grabbed his bag and dumped its contents on the floor. When he argued with the police, they handcuffed him and held him down.
Both Ms. Li and her uncle were taken to the local police station. Ms. Li was later transferred to Dongcheng Detention Center, and her uncle was released. The police harassed her family a few more times after that. Her family, especially her mother-in-law in her 80s, is very worried about her.
Ms. Li appeared in the Dongcheng District Court on September 30, 2020. The judge denied her family’s request to attend her hearing.
Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. She also testified in her own defense. She said that her health improved and she became more open-minded and positive after practicing Falun Gong. “I’m sharing my story with people and hope they can also benefit from practicing Falun Gong. If everyone follows the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the world will be a peaceful place.”
The prosecutor criticized Ms. Li for not pleading guilty and suggested that she be sentenced to up to three years.
Her family recently learned that Ms. Li has been sentenced to two years with a 4,000-yuan fine.
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