After More Than 11 Years Behind Bars, Beijing Woman Faces Trial Again for Her Faith in Falun Gong
(Minghui.org) A resident of Yanqing District, Beijing, was arrested on June 6, 2024 for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999. Ms. Yang Jinxiang’s case has been submitted to the Haidian District Court and she is awaiting trial at a local detention center.
Ms. Yang Jinxiang
Ms. Yang’s arrest came two months after her husband’s death and less than eight months after her completion of a second prison term for her faith.
Ms. Yang and her husband, Mr. Han Shimin, both took up Falun Gong in November 1996 and soon recovered from their respective illnesses. They also fixed their broken marriage by striving to be more considerate of the other, according to the teachings. After the persecution began in 1999, they held firm to their faith and were both arrested repeatedly.
After an arrest in July 2001, Ms. Yang was sentenced to nine years and Mr. Han seven years. They endured horrific torture during their detention. Ms. Yang was also raped by a police officer before her prison transfer. Mr. Han was tortured to the verge of death and issued critical condition notices four times.
The couple was sentenced again following their arrests on June 27, 2021. Mr. Han was given one year and ten months and allowed to serve time outside of prison due to his health condition. The court clerks however often harassed him at home and threatened to take him back into custody. He died on March 31, 2024, at the age of 59.
Ms. Yang served her two-year-four-month term at the Beijing Women’s Prison. She was released on October 26, 2023, only to be arrested again on June 6, 2024.
See the related reports for details of the couple’s persecution.
Related Reports:
While Out on Bail Due to Poor Health, Beijing Man Dies After Constant Harassment
Four Beijing Residents, Including a Married Couple, Sentenced to Prison for Their Faith
Four Beijing Residents Stand Trial for Their Faith in Falun Gong
Having Survived Nine Years of Torture in Prison, Beijing Woman Faces Prosecution Again for Her Faith