Ms. Xin Xiaoping Faces Sentencing in Linyi County, Hunan Province

Ms. Xin Xiaoping, who lives in the Xinwu Group in Wentang Village in Anfu Town, Linyi County, Hunan Province, became acquainted with Falun Gong while she was being held at a detention centre about seven years ago.

Her character improved after practising Falun Gong

Ms. Xin used to enjoy recklessly fighting with others, which made her infamous in her local area. In June 2002, she got into an argument with her neighbours and was detained at a detention centre for 15 days.

While Ms. Xin was at the centre, she became acquainted with several Falun Gong practitioners in her ward. She noticed that they were very different from the other people there and that they really cared about others and were kind and peaceful.

One day one of the practitioners talked to Ms. Xin about being a good person and conducting herself according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Ms. Xin liked what she heard and wanted to know more about Falun Gong.

Ms. Xin realised that living according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance was the correct path for her to take in her life. After she was released from the detention centre, Ms. Xin started to read "Zhuan Falun," the main book of Falun Gong. Every day she practised the five exercises, improved her character, and improved her moral standard.

She no longer fought with others and was always kind to everyone she met. People who knew her before she started practising Falun Gong said that she had completely changed. In addition, without taking any medications, her symptoms of headaches, dizziness, and painful abdominal distention all disappeared.

Sometime between March and April 2006, a fellow practitioner received an eight-year prison sentence for practising Falun Gong. While she was detained, she went on a hunger strike for more than 60 days to protest her imprisonment and abuse. When the guards saw that she was in critical condition, they took her to a hospital for emergency treatment.

Shortly after, she managed to escape from the hospital but dared not go home for fear of being arrested again. While in a weakened physical state, she went to Ms. Xin's home and asked for help. The only thought that Ms. Xin had when she saw her was, "I will never allow a good person to be persecuted again." When the police eventually found out that Ms. Xin had aided this practitioner, they issued an arrest warrant for Ms. Xin. Not only could Ms. Xin not go back home for fear of being arrested, but she also had to work out of town.

Ms. Xin's husband, a carpenter, had already been working very hard to support his ageing parents and to provide for their18-year-old daughter Qinqin's schooling, so it was very difficult for him when his wife wasn't there. After June or July 2008, he took his daughter to where Ms. Xin was staying so that the family could be together again.

On the afternoon of October 15th, 2008, while Ms. Xin was on her way to work at the Changsha State Grid Company, she was arrested by officers from the National Security Division in Linyi County. The officers accused her of "sabotaging the enforcement of the law by organizing and using an illegal organization" because she practised Falun Gong and aided a practitioner who escaped from a local hospital. After arresting Ms. Xin, the police took her to the Linyi County Detention Centre, where she remains to this day.

Neither Ms. Xin nor her husband had expected that she would be arrested again after being reunited for just a few months. He was devastated by the news and felt both physically and mentally drained.

On January 2nd, 2009, while he was working in town, he fell from a ladder and dislocated his left hip. Now his daughter and his 74-year-old father have to take turns caring for him. A once open and outgoing teenager is now quiet and hardly ever smiles.

On March 3rd, 2009, a trial was held for Ms. Xin at the Linyi County Court. Officers from the Linyi County Court and the Linyi County 610 Office¹ worked together to sentence her to a lengthy prison term. Her sentencing is expected to be announced soon.

Liu Yaobo, director of the Linyi County Detention Centre: 86-13975678616 (Mobile)

Note

1. "The 610 office" is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2009/3/20/197468.html