(Minghui.org) Six Dazhu County, Sichuan Province residents were sentenced to prison by the Dazhu County Court on December 29, 2020 for their faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Wang Haiqian, 57, was sentenced to 7.5 years and fined 50,000 yuan.Mr. Tang Zhikai, 70, was sentenced to five years and fined 30,000 yuan.Ms. He Dacui, 69, was sentenced to three years and fined 5,000 yuan.Mr. Deng Mingzhi, 54, was also sentenced to three years, but was allowed to serve time outside of prison.Ms. Zheng Dongfen, 53, and Ms. Lu Zhengmin were each given up to two years. Their exact prison terms remain to be investigated.

Except for Mr. Tang, the other five practitioners were targeted in a group arrest on July 27, 2019. Mr. Tang was arrested separately on August 28, 2019. The police ransacked his three residences and confiscated his printer, media player, and cash.

The male practitioners were held in the Dazhu County Detention Center while the female practitioners were taken to Dazhou City Detention Center.

All six were tried by the Dazhu County Court in the Dazhu County Detention Center on November 5, 2020. They had to wear thick protective gear with face coverings. Only their eyes were visible. Each practitioner was allowed to have only one immediate family member watch the video of the hearing at Dazhu County Court after applying for a permit from the court. The authorities posted officials outside the courthouse to be on the lookout for local Falun Gong practitioners who came to show their support for the practitioners who were on trial.

Ms. He, who was unable to stand on her own, had to have guards help her into the room. She had a bad cough.

Three lawyers entered not guilty pleas for their clients and demanded that they be acquitted. The judge announced the verdicts two months later.

Related reports:

Six Sichuan Residents Tried for Their Faith

Dazhu County, Sichuan Province: 26 Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in One Day, 5 Remain in Custody