(Minghui.org) A Beijing resident was recently sentenced to five and a half years and fined 10,000 yuan for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
This is the third time that Mr. Wang Zicheng has been sentenced. He previously served a total of 14 years in prison and was once incapacitated as a result of the torture in custody.
Mr. Wang’s latest arrest was on June 8, 2020, after the police suspected him of distributing Falun Gong materials.
Mr. Wang appeared in the Pinggu District Court on November 11, 2020. His daughter and lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him.
His daughter said that Mr. Wang suffered severe stomach problems since his youth. He was very weak and often had trouble falling asleep. To improve his health, he took up Falun Gong and his condition gradually disappeared. He strove to live by Falun Gong’s principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” and became optimistic and good-tempered. At home, he is a good husband and father. At work, he is a hard-working employee who takes his personal interest lightly. He always uses his action to tell people what Falun Gong is really about.
She said, “For all these years, despite all the pressure my father faced at home or from society, he persevered in upholding his faith and raising awareness about the persecution. No matter how much he suffered, he never abandoned the kindness and conscience in his heart. He doesn’t hate those people who tortured him because he knows that those people are the true victims of the persecution, who unknowingly assisted the brutal regime in committing a crime.
“In the past two decades, as I grew up, the persecution has always been a nightmare to me and my family. The persecution has harmed countless kind Falun Gong practitioners and destroyed many happy families like ours. When both of my parents were imprisoned for their faith in Falun Gong, my brother and I had no financial support and we almost killed ourselves. Luckily, a relative later lent a hand to us and helped us endure that difficult period of time. After my father was released, the authorities suspended his pension, leaving our family in destitution.
“Since I was a child, my father had always taught me to be kind and uphold my conscience. It’s not easy for me to stand here and defend him. But I have to have the courage to speak up for my father when he is being wronged. I’m also speaking up for those who have suffered in the persecution, just for upholding their faith. My father is innocent and all the other tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are also innocent.”
She said it was wrong for Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party, to order the persecution of Falun Gong. She urged all perpetrators to wake up their conscience and stop participating in the persecution.
Despite her defense, the judge still sentenced Mr. Wang to five years in prison later on.
Related reports:
Beijing Man Faces Fourth Prison Term for His Faith—Daughter Defends His Innocence
After Serving 14 Years for Practicing Falun Gong, Beijing Man Arrested Again for His Faith
Beijing Practitioner Still Detained Despite His Precarious Health Condition
Crimes Committed by Zhang Daming, Domestic Security Division Head in Pinggu, Beijing
Torture in Beijing Prison Results in Loss of Mobility for Mr. Wang Zicheng
Beijing: Family and Attorney Face Uphill Battle Demanding a Couple's Release
Wang Zicheng and His Wife Arrested Again After Eight Years of Imprisonment
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