(Minghui.org) The 78-year-old mother of a Canadian resident was recently sentenced to four years and fined 20,000 yuan by a Chinese court for her faith in Falun Gong.
Falun Gong, known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline with three universal values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since 1999.
Ms. Cong Laiying, of Weihai City, Shandong Province, was arrested on October 15, 2022, for doing Falun Gong exercises at a local square. The police handcuffed her and dragged her around by the handcuffs, which caused her to suffer persistent high blood pressure (200/150 mmHg).
Ms. Cong was first held at the Rongcheng City Detention Center and then transferred to the Wendeng Detention Center. She was released on bail on November 18, after her paid 10,000 yuan in bail bond.
Ms. Cong was taken back into custody at the Wendeng Detention Center on February 1, 2023. She was tried by the Rongcheng City Court on February 16 and sentenced to prison. The prosecutor charged her with “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization” and listed her past persecution for practicing Falun Gong as prosecution evidence against her.
Ms. Cong’s daughter, Ms. Cong Xinmiao, said during a rally in front of the Chinese consulate in Montreal on March 1, 2023, “The CCP brutally persecutes Falun Dafa practitioners, who adhere to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Practicing Falun Dafa is not against the law in China. It is not a crime to believe in the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be a better person. I am calling for my mother's immediate release.”
Before Ms. Cong took up Falun Gong, she suffered a severe heart condition and cervical hyperplasia. She was paralyzed, her body was numb and she had tremendous difficulty breathing. Even talking would sometimes result in her having palpitations and going into a shock.
In 1997, Ms. Cong was introduced to Falun Gong. Only 18 days later, she was back on her feet and doing the exercises. She said, “Master (founder of Falun Gong) gave me a new life. No words can describe my gratitude to Master.”
Because Ms. Cong held firm to her faith in Falun Gong after the onset of the persecution, she was harassed four times in 2000. She was arrested in August 2006 and detained for 23 days after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. She was arrested again in June 2008 for giving out Falun Gong materials. Her home was also ransacked. She was arrested three more times before her latest ordeal.
Related report:
Montreal: Canadian Falun Dafa Practitioner Calls for Her Mother to be Immediately Released
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