(Minghui.org) A man in Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, was sentenced to two and a half years on October 28, 2024, for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Mr. Sun Xiaoming and his wife, Ms. Zhang Fengxia, also a Falun Gong practitioner, were arrested on May 11, 2024, by officers from the Dongcheng Police Station. The couple was taken to the Hongshan District Detention Center. Ms. Zhang’s systolic blood pressure shot up to over 200 mmHg (a normal range is 120 or lower) and she was released on bail one week later. Afterwards she went into hiding.
The Hongshan District Procuratorate issued formal arrest warrants for the couple in early June. The Hongshan District Court scheduled a first hearing for October 11, 2024, but Ms. Zhang did not show up as she was still in hiding. Mr. Sun’s lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him.
A sentencing hearing was held on October 28, and Mr. Sun was sentenced to two and a half years. Because Ms. Zhang was still a no-show, the police put her on the wanted list and staked agents outside the homes of her relatives in an attempt to catch her.
Following the couple’s arrest, their son wrote an open letter calling for their release and explained how Falun Gong changed their lives for the better, but the communist regime targeted them repeatedly for their faith.
Life Renewed
Mr. Sun had a work accident when he was young and suffered severe leg problems as a result. His condition kept worsening despite medical care, including orthopedic traction. For a period of time, he was almost totally paralyzed. His wife said he was screaming in pain when she returned home from work one day. He said that he felt hopeless and useless because of his disability.
In 1996, Mr. Sun was formally diagnosed with severe femoral head necrosis and his doctor recommended bone replacement every few years. But he could not afford the expensive surgery. Later, another hospital offered a non-surgerical treatment. He tried it for a while but still had to use crutches and he was unable to work.
The numerous medications Mr. Sun took also caused severe side effects, including gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). Every time he had an episode of paralysis, he curled up in pain and sweated profusely. He and his wife both lost hope and resented their fate.
Life changed for the couple after they both took up Falun Gong around 1997. Mr. Sun regained the ability to walk and work. Ms. Zhang also had a more positive outlook on life. They became better people.
Once Mr. Sun sold two hens for 100 yuan. When he got home, he realized that he had been paid with counterfeit bills. His relatives and fellow villagers all suggested that he mix the counterfeit bills with genuine ones the next time he had to purchase something. He said he would not do that because he could not bear the thought of another person being harmed like he'd been, so he burned the bills.
Another time Mr. Sun stayed in a tent to oversee his watermelon crop. He saw a family stop to pick watermelons, unaware of his presence. He stayed quiet and didn’t leave the tent until the family left. He later told his wife and son that he didn’t blame the family for stealing watermelons as they must have been really hungry.
Past Persecution
Not long after the persecution began in 1999, Mr. Sun and Ms. Zhang were both arrested at home, in front of their son. The boy was bullied at school for his parents’ faith and became withdrawn. Ms. Zhang was later given forced labor and Mr. Sun was released.
While Ms. Zhang was still in custody, the police arrested Mr. Sun again. They took both him and his son to a brainwashing center and put them in two different rooms. The father and son wept. The next morning the boy found his father nodding non-stop. He learned later that his father had been deprived of sleep the night before. His paternal grandmother was called to pick him up.
The police attempted to arrest Ms. Zhang again in 2020. Her elderly mother, who lived with her at the time, was so terrified that she passed out. She did not regain consciousness until after almost 20 minutes of emergency care. Only then did the police leave and give up their attempt to arrest Ms. Zhang.
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