(Minghui.org) Ms. Chu Qingzhen was set to stand trial for her faith in Falun Gong on January 20, 2025. That morning, her husband, Mr. Song Xuechun, also a practitioner, was arrested when he stepped outside of their apartment building. He had been notified two days ago that he was not allowed to represent his wife in court as a non-lawyer defender.

Ms. Chu, of Laiyang City, Shandong Province, was later sentenced to two years, and her husband, three and a half years.

The couple’s ordeal stemmed from Ms. Chu’s arrest on October 29, 2024. Three officers, including Chi Weiqing, broke into her home that afternoon and confiscated her Falun Gong books, informational materials, printer, and computer. The police targeted her after discovering that she had recently purchased a computer online and suspecting that she planned to use it to produce Falun Gong materials.

Ms. Chu was held at the Muyudian Police Station overnight before being transferred to the Yantai City Detention Center (located in Fushan District). Yantai oversees Laiyang City.

Mr. Song urged officer Chi to drop the case against his wife, but Chi still submitted the case to the Laiyang City Procuratorate on November 6, 2024.

Around January 15, 2025, the Laiyang City Court notified Mr. Song that his wife’s court date was set for five days later. He submitted an application to represent her as a family defender. He took some time off work to review the case file and visit his wife at the detention center.

On January 18, 2025, Mr. Song received a court notice saying he was no longer allowed to defend his wife in court. There was no reason given, and he was told that “You’ll know why later on.”

Mr. Song decided to still represent his wife. On the morning of January 20, he stepped outside of his apartment building with his defense statement in hand, ready to go to the courthouse. A group of officers who had been staking out his place outside seized him and raided his home. His daughter, a graduate student home for winter break, was also taken into custody. She was interrogated and later released. Mr. Song was taken to the Laiyang City Detention Center.

As this was unfolding, Ms. Chu appeared in court, and the judge halted the session midway through the hearing.

The couple’s daughter spent the Chinese New Year (January 29) comforting her three grandparents, who all live with her parents and rely on them for care. Both of her parents were later sentenced to prison (exact time unknown).