10-Year Sentence Upheld for Innocent Woman

The Chaoyang Intermediate Court has upheld the lower court's 10-year prison sentence for Ms. Zhang Yuzhuo. The family received the notice in July.

Her lawyer denounced the lower court's verdict during the hearing on June 24th, 2014, saying, “An ordinary person like Ms. Zhang is treated like a terrorist and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She's been deprived of her civil rights for two years. Ms. Zhang believes in kindness and exercises to keep fit. Why is she being treated like a murderer, arsonist, or terrorist? Such a sentence is an abuse of the law and a violation of justice and conscience.” The judge had nothing to say in reply.

Ms. Zhang's family had high hopes for Ms. Zhang's acquittal after the hearing. To their utter surprise, they were told a month later that the original sentence would be upheld.

Ms. Zhang was arrested on September 18th, 2013, for talking to people about Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual practice based on the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, in Zhongxin Market, Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province.

The Shuangta District Court sentenced her to 10 years in prison and deprivation of political rights for two years in April 2014.