(Minghui.org) 74-year-old Ms. Gong Wenyu from Hexi District, Tianjin City was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for practicing Falun Gong. She was sent to Tianjin Women’s Prison in November 2016.
Ms. Gong was arrested for telling people the facts about the persecution after the Chinese New Year in 2016. She was taken to the Liqizhuang Police Station and sentenced after being held at the Xiqing District Detention Center for nearly one year.
Arrested Five Prior Times for Practicing Falun Gong
Ms. Gong had poor health prior to practicing Falun Gong. Taking medication and visiting doctors were part of her daily life. She became healthy as a result of taking up the practice and took every opportunity to share her experience with others.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999. Ms. Gong could not sit at home while people were being deceived by the CCP’s slanderous propaganda. Out of compassion, she told people the truth about Falun Gong and was subsequently arrested six times.
Ms. Gong was initially arrested by officers from the Hexi District Police Department and Tianta Police Station on July 27, 2006. Her home was ransacked. She was detained in the Hexi District Detention Center for nearly one year. She was then sentenced to three years and held at Tianjin City Women’s Prison.
While in prison, Ms. Gong was forced to undergo brainwashing sessions and was punished by being force to sit on a small stool for long periods. She was also often denied the right to use a restroom and forced to do labor.
Her life remained in turmoil after she was released. The police and officials from the neighborhood community committee often harassed Ms. Gong during the holidays or politically sensitive dates.
On January 29, 2010, Ms. Gong was arrested again 6 months after leaving the prison. She was released after 33 days of detention in the Hexi District Detention Center.
Ms. Gong was arrested the third time on June 24, 2013 and released later in the evening.
On November 9, 2013, she was again arrested after talking to two people about Falun Gong near a zoo. Her home was also ransacked.
She was then sent to a detention center despite her high blood pressure and released two days later on medical bail.
The police arrested Ms. Gong a fifth time on August 20, 2015 for suing Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party who launched the persecution of Falun Gong. Her home was ransacked, and she was released after a family member agreed to sign a guarantee statement.
