(Minghui.org) A woman in Dalian City, Liaoning Province was wrongfully sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for speaking up for Falun Gong, and she has filed an appeal.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Song Xiaomei, 51, was arrested at home on June 1, 2021. The police refused to show their IDs, even after her family repeatedly asked them to. Over 70 of Ms. Song’s Falun Gong books, several cellphones, and a computer were confiscated.
Officer Meng Fanyu hit Ms. Song on the head and verbally abused her at the Fude Police Station. He ordered her to unlock her cellphone. She refused to comply and her blood pressure increased. The police also tried to trick her family into testifying against her by promising to give her a lighter sentence should they cooperate.
The police revealed that Ms. Song tweeted information about the persecution of Falun Gong and “slandered” the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party during a trip to Japan and her posts were retweeted by several people. Because of that, she was charged with “undermining law enforcement” and her arrest was approved on June 17.
Ms. Song’s family later learned from her lawyer that officer Meng had beaten her following her arrest. They tried to talk to Liu Xiaoyi, the chief of Fude Police Station, about filing a complaint against Meng. Liu refused to meet with them. Another officer, Lin Dekun, said to Ms. Song’s family, “We won’t address any complaint about [the persecution of] Falun Gong. You can file the complaint with whomever you want.”
Her family then called the Wafangdian District Procuratorate to protest Meng’s illegal behavior. The officer who answered the phone kept asking them if they had finished talking. He said his supervisor would decide what to do and hung up. When Ms. Song’s family tried to follow up, the same officer said, “How would I know what my supervisors would do.” He hung up again and refused to answer the phone after that.
Ms. Song appeared in the Pulandian District Court on November 29, 2021. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. Her family wasn’t informed of the hearing. Her family recently learned that she has been sentenced to 4.5 years. She has appealed the verdict.
Related report:
Liaoning Woman Faces Trial for Sending Twitter Message about Her Faith
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