(Minghui.org) The Wulian County Court in Rizhao City, Shandong Province, sentenced 21 local residdents to prison on December 25, 2023, for their shared faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.

Judge Zheng Lei presided over the three-day trial (December 4-5, 2023) of the 21 Falun Gong practitioners. Also present were judges Fan Jun and Wang Jianyong, the judges’ assistant Zhao Yingying, and clerks Wang Shuai and Sun Xue.

The practitioners were all sentenced for “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used by the communist regime to frame and imprison Falun Gong practitioners. They were given ten days to file an appeal with th Rizhao City Intermediate Court. It is unclear who has filed an appeal.

Details of Prison Sentences

Ms. Hong Meishuang was sentenced to five and a half years with a 10,000-yuan fine.Mr. Guo Xin was sentenced to four years and three months with a 30,000-yuan fine.Mr. Jiang Haibo was sentenced to three and a half years with a 20,000-yuan fine.Ms. Gong Hua was sentenced to two and a half years with a 10,000-yuan fine.Ms. Wang Geng was sentenced to two and a half years with a 10,000-yuan fine.Ms. An Fengxia was sentenced to two years and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Yang Chuanying was sentenced to one and a half years with an 8,000-yuan fine.Ms. Han Gongying was sentenced to one and a half years with a 6,000-yuan fine.Ms. Ding Xi was sentenced to four years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Gao Xiuhua was sentenced to three and a half years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Su Cuihua was sentenced to three and a half years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Huang Shifang (Mr. Jiang Haibo’s wife) was sentenced to three years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Mr. Liang Geyuan was sentenced to two years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Wang Shuhua was sentenced to two years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Mr. Han Bangli was sentenced to two years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Qin Yuying (Mr. Han’s wife) was sentenced to one and a half years probation with an 8,000-yuan fine.Ms. Qin Chong was sentenced one and a half years probation and fined 10,000 yuan.Ms. Zhu Xiuxia was sentenced to one and a half years probation with a 6,000-yuan fine.Ms. Jiang Ying was sentenced to five months with six months probation and a 5,000-yuan fine.Ms. Wang Xuli was sentenced to five months with six months probation and a 5,000-yuan fine.Ms. Fan Shuling was convicted and fined 5,000 yuan.

Part of Group Arrests

The 21 practitioners were among about 50 local Falun Gong practitioners arrested on May 12 and 13, 2023. According to insiders, the Rizhao City Police Department began to monitor the targeted practitioners on March 3, 2023, and dubbed their operation the “303 Special Case.”

More than a dozen officials were involved in the special case, including Ding Mingqing (political secretary of the police department), Gao Lei (head of the 610 Office), An Ming, Du Xianglin, Wang Yubao, Wang Yulong, Qin Yujing, Bo Tao, Ding Zhaodong, An Feng, Liu Yuanyuan, three officers surnamed Guo, Yu, and Qin, and several others whose names are not known. They mobilized police stations across various districts and counties to carry out the multiple arrests on May 12 and 13.

Related report:

Rizhao City, Shandong Province: 22 Locals Arrested in Police Sweep to Face Trial for Practicing Falun Gong