(Minghui.org) A 68-year-old woman in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, served two prison terms between 2009 and 2022 for her faith in Falun Gong. The police continued to harass her after she was last released in 2022.
Sentenced to Three Years in 2009 While Living in Chongqing
Ms. Chen Shengqun, born in April 1958, began practicing Falun Gong in June 2007. When she lived in Chongqing, she was arrested on the evening of June 4, 2009, after she was reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. The police raided her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books and informational materials. She was sent to the Yubei District Detention Center. Her family wasn’t allowed to visit her.
The Yubei District Procuratorate issued an arrest warrant for Ms. Chen on June 30, 2009. Prosecutor Huang Yichang indicted her on July 15, 2009.
The Yubei District Court sentenced Ms. Chen to three years on September 24, 2009, with the charge of “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” the standard pretext used to criminalize Falun Gong. The presiding judge Lu Tao, assistant judges Yan Hanqiu and Guo Jingbin, and court clerk Li Chunxiao signed her verdict.
Ms. Chen appealed to the Chongqing City First Intermediate Court, which ruled to uphold the original verdict on December 30, 2009. Presiding judge Huang Xu, assistant judges Li Yi and Hu Dongping, and court clerk Ou Mingyan, participated in the ruling.
While Ms. Chen was serving time at the Chongqing City Women’s Prison, because she refused to renounce Falun Gong, she was often beaten and her face was swollen and bruised. She started a hunger strike to protest in October 2010. The guards force-fed her and knocked out two of her teeth. She lost weight quickly. When her family visited her in December 2010, she had systemic edema and she could barely open her eyes.
As a result of the physical and mental torment, she suffered a mental disorder.
When Ms. Chen was released on June 3, 2012, she was swollen and in a dazed and confused state. She often left home and wandered the streets. Her daughter, Ms. Zhou Xuefen, had to resign from her job in order to look after her.
15 Days of Administrative Detention After Moving to Wuhan
Ms. Chen later recovered when she resumed practicing Falun Gong and she moved to Wuhan. Because she raised awareness about the persecution, she was arrested on October 13, 2017, and given 15 days of administrative detention by the Caidian District Police Station.
Jailed for Another 3.5 Years
Ms. Chen was arrested again on February 26, 2019, for talking to people about Falun Gong at a farmers’ market. She was first given 15 days of administrative detention and was later transferred to the Wuhan City First Detention Center on March 13 under criminal detention.
The detention center guards interrogated Ms. Chen almost every day. A tall inmate in her cell also beat her frequently. When she occasionally purchased some snacks, the inmate took them.
Lin Jinping, Zhou Yi, Huang Wei, and a few other guards handcuffed Ms. Chen behind her back, taped her mouth, and took photos of her.
The Caidian District Procuratorate issued a formal arrest warrant for Ms. Chen on September 24, 2019. Her case was transferred to the Hanyang District Procuratorate on October 16, 2019, and prosecutor Gao Shang indicted her eight days later.
The Hanyang District Court sentenced Ms. Chen to three and a half years with a 4,000-yuan fine on November 3, 2020. Her verdict was signed by the presiding judge Liang Hong, assistant judges Li Guofang and Yuan Ping, and court clerk Li Hui.
Ms. Chen was released on August 28, 2022. The police and community staffers often harassed her on holidays or during major political events. Her daughter, Ms. Zhou, was also harassed for her shared faith in Falun Gong.
All content published on this website is copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
