(Minghui.org) Two women in Heishan County, Liaoning Province, were recently sentenced to prison for practicing Falun Gong, a mind-body discipline that has been targeted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Zhang Yanxia was sentenced to five years and Ms. Xu Yue to two and a half years. They were arrested on June 3, 2025, during a police sweep ordered by the Liaoning Provincial Public Security Bureau. At least 36 Falun Gong practitioners in Jinzhou and its subordinate counties, including Linghai City, Beizhen City, Yi County, and Heishan County, were arrested between June 2 and 3, 2025.
Ms. Zhang, in her 50s, was arrested around 9 a.m. by Heishan Police Station officers, who confiscated her printers and Falun Gong informational materials.
Ms. Xu was arrested around the same time, also by Heishan Police Station officers. Her computer and other personal items were confiscated.
Ms. Zhang and Ms. Xu were held in the Jinzhou City Detention Center. The Heishan County Court later secretly sentenced them to prison. They are scheduled to be transferred to the Liaoning Province Women’s Prison in mid-December 2025.
Ms. Zhang started to practice Falun Gong in February 1999. After the persecution started five months later, she remained firm in her faith and was arrested in 2003 and 2005 by Heishan County Domestic Security Office agents. She was detained for a total of two months and fined 26,000 yuan.
After Ms. Xu began to practice Falun Gong in 2005, the trigeminal neuralgia that had been tormenting her for decades soon disappeared. She was arrested in 2022 after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong and detained for a day.
Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province: 36 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Two Days