(Minghui.org) A married couple in Taian City, Shandong Province, were both sentenced to prison for their shared faith in Falun Gong, their family learned on March 19, 2025.
Ms. Zhang Guilian, 62, received a seven-year prison sentence, and her husband Mr. Qin Zhenquan, 63, was given three years. When their family consulted their lawyer about the details of their sentencing, the latter was shocked, as he hadn’t received any notification about the ruling by the trial court.
The couple’s wrongful convictions stemmed from their arrest on August 1, 2024. A group of officers from the Beijipo Police Station, including Wei Jikang, broke into the couple’s home that day and arrested Ms. Zhang.
When Mr. Qin returned from work later that day, he noted a police cruiser outside his home. He thought nothing of it and just knocked on the door as usual. An officer opened the door and cuffed his hands, very tightly.
The police continued their raid of the couple’s home, confiscating 2,000 yuan in cash, two bankcards, social security cards, two tricycles, three electric bicycles, a computer, and a printer.
The couple were then taken to the Beijipo Police Station. The police tightened Mr. Qin’s handcuffs even more, causing his wrists to bleed. They next collected his and his wife’s biometrics before interrogating them. Mr. Qin did not say anything during the questioning.
Throughout the arrests, home raid, and interrogation, the police didn’t produce their IDs or a search warrant.
Officer Yu Zhili interrogated Mr. Qin the next day, but he still refused to answer questions. He and his wife were transferred to the Taian City Detention Center that night. Their family was not given any further updates after that. They only learned of their prison sentences from an insider on March 19, 2025.
Past Persecution
Mr. Qin credits Falun Gong for freeing him from the suffering of chronic colds, neurasthenia, insomnia, and sciatica. Ms. Zhang also recovered from her severe tracheitis through practicing Falun Gong. They held firm to their faith after the persecution began in July 1999, and were repeatedly targeted.
Prior to their latest persecution, Ms. Zhang served two forced labor terms and one prison sentence, totaling six years, and Mr. Qin served a three-year term of forced labor. After another arrest in 2008, he managed to escape and went into hiding. He didn’t return home until 2014 when his son got married. Three officers harassed the couple on July 26, 2024. They took photos of Mr. Qin and questioned where he worked.
Related Report:
Three Falun Gong Practitioners from Daiyue District, Taian City Arrested
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