(Minghui.org) Mr. Wang Xinzhong, 58, from Huimin County, Shandong Province, was recently sentenced to sixteen months for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. Mr. Wang was previously given an 11-year term in 2004 and another 2-year term in 2018.
Mr. Wang was arrested at home around noon on May 8, 2023, by Ma Weiguo, the director of Huimin County 610 Office, and more than ten officers from the Huimin County Domestic Security Office, the Chengguan Police Station and the Sunwu Village Committee.
The police said that Mr. Wang was recorded by surveillance cameras walking in a neighborhood wearing a utility backpack and they suspected that he was distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. Mr. Wang argued that he made a living by building brick rocket stoves for people and he always had his utility bag with him. The police refused to listen, and arrested him. Despite the lack of evidence, the police still submitted his case to the local procuratorate, which eventually resulted in his sentencing.
Past Persecution
In the past 24 years, Mr. Wang has been repeatedly targeted for upholding his faith. He was first arrested in April 2000. The police beat him and extorted 2,000 yuan from him. It dealt his father a hard blow when he was arrested again at home three months later in July 2000. The elderly man suffered a heart attack and passed away shortly after.
Mr. Wang was sentenced to 11 years by the Huimin County Court in 2004 (details about his arrest and sentencing aren’t clear). While serving time at the Shandong Province Prison, he was subjected to constant beating, including being kicked or hit with wooden sticks or shoes on his body, face and head. He was also verbally abused and deprived of sleep. He suffered comminuted fracture in his right foot and was unable to get out of bed for seven months.
On July 1, 2017, only two years after he was released, he was arrested again while talking to people about Falun Gong. He was held at the Huimin County Police Station and sentenced to two years by the Huiming County Court in February 2018.
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