Ms. Hong Youfeng from Funing County, Jiangsu Province Sentenced

Name: Ms. Hong Youfeng
Gender: Female
Age: 56
Address: Funing County, Jiangsu Province
Occupation: Former employee of Funing Utility Department
Date of Most Recent Arrest: January 17th, 2010
Most Recent Place of Detention: Funing Detention Centre
City: Funing
Province: Jiangsu
Persecution Suffered: Sleep deprivation, home ransacked, interrogation, detention.
Key Persecutors: Criminal court judge Li Xiaoting

Ms. Hong Youfeng is a Falun Gong practitioner from Funing County, Jiangsu Province. On January 17th, 2010, she was reported to authorities and arrested by police because she was talking to people about the truth behind the persecution of Falun Gong and giving a Falun Gong DVD to a passerby. Led by the Domestic Security Department, the local police department locked up Ms. Hong at a hotel. She was deprived of sleep for four days, and continuously interrogated and forced into giving a so-called confession. She was then sent to Funing Detention Centre for a term of over four months. The Funing Court and legal legislators tried Ms. Hong in court on May 19th without any legal evidence. She was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on July 2nd. Her attorney entered an innocent plea for her and asked the court to release her.

The Domestic Security Department also ransacked Ms. Hong's home and confiscated her computer and other personal possessions.

Ms. Hong's defence attorney pointed out that the prosecution of Ms. Hong is unlawful and indeed illegal. As of now, in file No. 39, Falun Gong is not listed as one of the fourteen cult organisations as identified by the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, General Office of the State Council, and the Ministry of Public Security. There is also no law in China identifying Falun Gong as a cult, therefore practising Falun Gong in China is completely legal. In addition, every citizen has the right to believe and speak, as religious freedom is a citizen's constitutional right. Ms. Hong broke no laws, nor has she interfered with any implementation of the law.

Ms. Hong is a former employee of the Funing Utilities Department. She previously had many illnesses, and had not seen any improvements after seeking medical treatment at hospitals and practising other qigong methods. Ms. Hong started practising Falun Gong in 1997, and after a short time her illnesses disappeared. She adheres to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and strives to be a good person, so she was able to resolve many conflicts. While her husband was serving seven years in prison because he practises Falun Gong, Ms. Hong volunteered to take care of her mother-in-law. She brought gifts to her mother-in-law every holiday, and relatives, friends and neighbours noticed and complemented her. However, since Ms. Hong refused to give up practising Falun Gong, she has been abused and harassed many times.

The public prosecutor was speechless during the defence given by Ms. Hong's attorney. The judge also seemed stupefied and had to call a recess. Although their consciences were moved, they still co-operated with the CCP in violating human rights, and sentenced Ms. Hong to three and a half years in prison.

The persecution began in 1999, and Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted in China for over ten years. During this time, many legislators have been involved in the persecution and misused the legal system. Some of them know that the CCP's actions toward Falun Gong are illegal, but they have focused on their own personal gains. While being involved in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, they have placed themselves in a position where they will eventually be judged by history.

Yu Weidong, Funing Court room chair: 86-13327984008 (Mobile) , 86-13605105999 (Mobile)
Ji Youling, criminal court judge: 86-13182132586 (Mobile)

Police department personnel who are responsible for Ms. Hong's abuse:

Shen Yuhe, group leader: 86-13390726798(Mobile) , 86-515-87224671 (Home)
Wang Zhidao, assistant prosecutor, person in the prosecutor's office responsible for the prosecution of Ms. Hong: 86-515-87998699 (Office), 86-515-87215269 (Home)
Dan Tianxia, lawsuit section chief: 86-18912562858 (Mobile)
Jiang Xinlin, county Political Law Department clerk: 86-13801419056 (Mobile) , 86-515-87222896 (Office)
Zhu Guanghua, 610 Office chairman: 86-13390726138 (Mobile) 86-515-87221306 (Home)

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/7/12/226862.html