(Minghui.org) A 62-year-old man in Taian City, Shandong Province was admitted to the Shandong Province Prison on February 19, 2025, to serve a two-year term for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999.
Mr. Zhao Weidong, a former assistant engineer at Xinhua Machinery Factory, was arrested on September 12, 2024, when he and his wife, Ms. Sun Xiuwei, were making deliveries to a local supermarket. He was held at the Taian City Detention Center.
Mr. Zhao appeared in the Taishan District Court on November 13, 2024. His lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him and demanded his acquittal. The judge sentenced him at an unknown date. Mr. Zhao is scheduled to be released on September 11, 2027. It is unclear whether his wife faced further prosecution.
Prior to his latest sentencing, Mr. Zhao was sentenced to 12 years in 2004 for his faith. He served time in the 11th Division of Shandong Province Prison, where he was subjected to relentless torture. He was released in 2016.
See the following reports for details of his latest arrest and trial.
Brutal Torture Methods Used Against Falun Gong Practitioners Jailed in Shandong Province Prison
Once Jailed for 12 Years, Shandong Man Stands Trial for His Faith Again
Shandong Province: Engineer Tortured for Almost 10 Years, Family Not Allowed to Visit