(Minghui.org) A 52-year-old woman in Taiyuan City died less than one month after her husband and sole caregiver was sentenced to 7 years in prison.
Ms. Zhang Yinxiang and her husband, Mr. Tian Yunfei, had been targeted since the Chinese communist regime launched a nationwide campaign against Falun Gong in July 1999.
The couple became healthy after they started practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, in 1998. Having had firsthand experience with Falun Gong, they never wavered in their faith when the persecution began the following year.
The couple had their home ransacked and their salaries suspended many times. Both of them were also detained repeatedly.
Mr. Tian was once beaten so badly by police that he lost consciousness. Another time he was shocked with electric batons and suffered severe injuries to his left knee.
Ms. Zhang was sent to a local brainwashing center in March 2003, and the local police deducted 1,000 yuan from her salary to cover her room and board. They once poured cold water all over her body and didn't allow her to sleep as a punishment for her doing Falun Gong exercises while in detention.
Officer Han Zhiliang showed up at the couple's home in August 2008 and demanded that they open the door. Only Mr. Tian was home and he refused to comply with the demand. Han and his deputies scaled the wall of the courtyard and kicked open the door. They took him to the local police station and interrogated him for several hours.
Ms. Zhang was taken to the same brainwashing center again in August 2013. The relentless pressure for her to give up her faith took a toll on her. Her ordeal continued after her release, as the police kept harassing her at home.
She gradually became mentally disoriented and eventually bedridden. She couldn't take care of herself and had to completely rely on her husband.
Officer Song Quansheng arrested Mr. Tian at home on July 17, 2017. Ms. Zhang was so traumatized by her husband's arrest that she had to be rushed to the ER. The hospital issued a critical condition notice, but her family had to take her home days later due to a lack of money to pay her medical bills.
Ms. Zhang's condition kept deteriorating as her husband was being persecuted for his faith. Mr. Tian was sentenced to 7 years in prison on April 8, 2018, and she died on May 5.
