Henan Teacher Dies While Serving 7 Years for Her Faith

A 53-year-old teacher in Shenqiu County, Henan Province died while serving a 7-year prison term for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.

Ms. Wang Cui, a widow since age 30, was arrested on August 10th, 2012. The local police and procuratorate demanded 150,000 yuan (£17,500) in exchange for her release, but the court sentenced her to 7 years after her family paid the money. Her son, who had already been admitted to a college at the time of her arrest, had to give up his college dream and do odd jobs to support himself.

Ms. Wang had developed severe health problems during her nearly year-long detention at Shenqiu County Detention Centre, where she was forced to do hard labour every day while awaiting trial.

Despite her poor health, the police forced Xinxiang Women’s Prison to admit Ms. Wang on July 29th, 2013. Not long afterward, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery. The prison authorities, however, refused to release her on medical parole.

Ms. Wang died on December 21st, 2016. The authorities ordered her body cremated shortly afterwards, disregarding her family’s wishes to take her body back to their hometown.

Prior to Ms. Wang’s latest arrest, she had been taken into custody multiple times for her faith. Her son had to rely on relatives to survive.