Li Yaru - 李雅茹
(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Li Yaru, Deputy Director of the Education Commission of Hanjiayuan Forest Bureau in Daxinganling Region, Heilongjiang Province, was persecuted in Heilongjiang Women's Prison. She died of leukemia on July 20, 2011 at the age of 48.
Ms. Li started practicing Falun Gong in 1996. She acted in accordance with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and was lauded as the best teacher in her school. Later she was promoted to vice principal of the middle school. Results of the public vote for the position of principal gave Ms. Li more votes than any other candidate. However, school authorities gave her position to another because she practiced Falun Dafa. Later Ms. Li was given the position of Deputy Director of the Education Commission, which had no responsibilities.
Around 11:30 p.m. on July 27, 2008, Ms. Li was taken into custody by local police. They broke into and ransacked her home, confiscating her computer, an MP4 player, and other personal items. They forced her to sit on a bench with Dafa books and photographed her. The police claimed that for one year they watched as Ms. Li clarified the truth about Falun Dafa and promoted withdrawing from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations.
Ms. Li was sentenced to three years in prison. She was fired from her job and, under pressure, her husband was forced to divorce her. Six other practitioners were also sentenced along with Ms. Li.
Ms. Li and seven other practitioners were sent to Harbin Women's Prison in Heilongjiang Province.
Ms. Li's family requested her release for medical treatment after she developed leukemia in the prison. Ms. Li was abused there until she became emaciated and finally passed away.
