Mr. Liu Gang Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison in Henan Province, His Wife Sentenced to 8 Years

Mr. Liu Gang, a Falun Gong practitioner from the 8th Mine of the Coal Corporation of Pingdingshan City, Henan Province, was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison by a court which is manipulated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). His wife, Ms. Zong Yinqin, was sentenced to 8 years. On March 18th, 2009, Mr. Liu was sent to the Zhengzhou Prison in Xinmi City, Henan Province, and his wife was sent to the Henan Women's Prison in Xinxiang City.

According to the latest information, two other Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Wei Kunfeng, from the Coal Corporation of Pingdingshan City, and Mr. Niu Huming, from the Tianying Corporation, were both sentenced to four years of imprisonment. In addition, female practitioners Ms. Wang Yufeng, in her 70's, and another woman, whose name is unknown, were sentenced to four years and sent to the Henan Women's Prison in Xinxiang City.

Before Mr. Liu Gang practised Falun Gong he was addicted to tobacco, alcohol and gambling and was ill-tempered. His health was poor due to bronchitis. After he started practising Falun Gong he developed a good mental attitude and physical condition. In spite of his obviously improved health after starting to practise, he has been arrested seven times by CCP authorities since July 20th, 1999.

Before the Olympic Games were held in Beijing, the following incident occurred. On May 18th, 2008, at 1:40 a.m., police officers led by Han, deputy chief of a police station in the Weidong District, Pingdingshan City, and the chief of the 610 Office¹, Han Haishen, went to the home of Mr. Liu's mother-in-law in Daying District and arrested him and his wife, and sent them to a detention centre in the city.

Currently, most Falun Gong practitioners sentenced to prison or forced labour are being held in the Zhengzhou Prison in Xinmi City, the Henan Women's Prison in Xinxiang City, the Third Labour Camp of Henan Province in Xuchang City and the Shibalihe Women's Labour Camp of Henan Province in Zhengzhou City.

Not long ago, the wife of an imprisoned Falun Gong practitioner went to the Third Labour Camp in Xuchang City to see her husband. The prison guards tried to force her to denounce Falun Gong and its founder. If she refused, she would not be allowed to see her husband. Thus, she had to leave without seeing her husband.

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/2009/3/21/197522.html