(Minghui.org) Seventeen months after Mr. Fan Xuebin returned home from serving eight years in prison for not renouncing his faith in Falun Gong, he was arrested again and sentenced to another eight years, also for his faith.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
When Mr. Fan's family visited him at Dalian Prison in Liaoning Province in September 2018, they were shocked to see him coming out in a wheelchair, emaciated and pale. He said he had fluid accumulation in his knees and couldn't walk anymore.
“Our hearts are very heavy seeing him being tortured like that. We can't imagine how he spends every day inside the prison.” his family said.
Mr. Fan, 46, a resident of Yingkou City, Liaoning Province, was arrested by officers from Xinxing Police Station on June 18, 2016. He was held at Yingkou City Detention Center and forced to do slave labor before being transferred to Dalian Prison.
He appeared twice in Zhanqian District Court on February 14 and June 16, 2017. His lawyer entered a not guilty plea for him. The judge sentenced him to eight years in prison around September 2017. He appealed the verdict to Yingkou City Intermediate Court, but the appeal was rejected.
The heavy sentence came shortly after he returned home on January 28, 2015 from serving another 8 years in Panjin Prison, Liaoning Province, where he was frequently beaten by inmates. His ribs were broken, and he was unable to walk for a long time.
Both of Mr. Fan's parents have passed away. He has a sister with an intellectual disability, who relied solely on his care. After he was imprisoned, his family had to send his sister to an assisted living center.
Related reports:
Liaoning Man Tried Again for His Faith After Eight Years of Imprisonment, Torture
Four Liaoning Practitioners Tried
Fan Xuebin, from Yingkou, Liaoning Province Tortured in an Iron Cage; His Face Disfigured
