(Minghui.org) A total of 32 cases of Falun Gong practitioners sentenced to prison for their faith were reported in October 2025.
The sentenced Falun Gong practitioners came from 17 provinces or centrally-controlled municipalities. Jilin reported the most cases (6), followed by Shandong (4), Beijing (3), and Heilongjiang (3). Guangdong, Hebei, and Zhejiang each had 2 cases. The remaining 10 regions, including Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Fujian, Gansu, Hubei, Hunan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan, each had 1 case.
The longest term was 7 years, and the shortest was 8 months. Eleven practitioners were fined a total of 98,000 yuan.
Among the 24 practitioners whose ages at the time of their sentencing were known, they were between 48 and 77, including in their 40s, 8 in their 50s, 6 in their 60s, and 9 in their 70s. They came from all walks of life, including doctors, teachers, and farmers.
The following are details of select sentencing cases.
Sentencing of Elderly Practitioners
73-Year-Old Gansu Woman Secretly Sentenced to 5 Years for Practicing Falun Gong
Ms. Li Ruihua, 73, of Qingyang City, Gansu Province, was arrested on August 20, 2024, while she was visiting family in Zhenyuan County, which is under the administration of Qingyang City. After she gave a person an amulet that had messages about Falun Gong, she was seized by the police. They raided her home the next day and took her to a local detention center. She was denied admission after she failed the required physical exam.
The police released Ms. Li on bail on August 23, 2024, only to re-arrest her on July 18, 2025. It was unclear whether they had her undergo a physical exam, as they claimed.
The Zhenyuan County Court secretly tried Ms. Li without notifying her family. When her loved ones went to the detention center in late September 2025, they learned from the guards that she had been sentenced to five years.
Ms. Li developed some medical conditions, and the detention center requested that she be released on parole, but the court insisted that she be kept in custody.
Ms. Li, a former manager of the local commerce bureau, was previously given one year of forced labor after being arrested on March 25, 2000. After her release, she lived away from home to avoid further persecution. The police deceived her into returning home and arrested her soon afterward. She was sentenced to three years in prison and was released on October 8, 2005. At the time, she was unable to care for herself, and her joints were swollen, and her limbs were weak. In June 2011, she was forced to live away from home again and did not return until four years later.
Ms. Li’s husband, Mr. Kou Chuangjin, a government official, was also repeatedly arrested for practicing Falun Gong. He was sentenced to three years in prison following an arrest in June 2011.
The repeated persecution of the couple deeply traumatized their daughter. She developed clinical depression in 2001, around the age of 14, and still suffers from the condition.
76-Year-Old Shandong Man Sentenced to 1.5 Years
Mr. Wang Junheng, a 76-year-old resident in Yantai City, Shandong Province, was arrested on April 7, 2025, after being reported for talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong. His wife, who has been incapacitated for years and relied on him, is left to fend for herself.
The Muping District Procuratorate issued a formal arrest warrant for Mr. Wang and indicted him at an unknown time. The Muping District Court sentenced him to one and a half years around September 20, 2025, and he was admitted to the Shandong Province Prison in the capital of Jinan soon afterward.
Prior to his latest persecution episode, Mr. Wang was harassed numerous times between August 2019 and 2020. He was given one year of “bail pending trial” on April 24, 2020.
71-Year-Old Jilin Woman Sentenced to Nearly Five Years
Ms. Sheng Guilan, a 71-year-old local in Yanji City, Jilin Province, was arrested on January 9, 2024, in a police sweep. Nearly 30 other local Falun Gong practitioners, most of whom are in their 60s or 70s, were also arrested that day.
The police raided the practitioners’ homes and had them sign the lists of confiscated items. The practitioners were taken to the hospital for physical examinations and then sent to a local brainwashing center. They were all released on January 11, 2024. Ms. Sheng posted a 3,000-yuan bail bond.
The police summoned Ms. Sheng to the local procuratorate on January 6, 2025, to sign a renewal of her bail release paperwork. She and other practitioners who were arrested in January 2024 were harassed at home on January 10, 2025, and had their pictures taken against their will by the police.
The procuratorate notified Ms. Sheng on January 20, 2025, to come to their office to sign her indictment. She received another notice in May 2025 saying that a court date had been set for May 16.
After Ms. Sheng was sentenced (exact time unknown), she was taken back into custody on October 2, 2025. She was given six physical exams in total, and each time her systolic blood pressure registered at over 200 mmHg (a normal range is 120 or lower). The court nonetheless still ordered her admitted to the Yanji City Detention Center.
77-Year-Old Woman Given 3.5 Years for Talking to People about Falun Gong
Ms. Wang Junping, a 77-year-old woman in Beijing, was reported when she talked to a college student about Falun Gong on October 18, 2024. The police released her after a brief interrogation, but arrested her again on February 18, 2025, and took her to the Fengtai District Lockup. Her family was barred from visiting her and also kept in the dark about the status of her case.
After Ms. Wang’s family learned that she was indicted, they called the presiding judge several times, but were redirected to other divisions of the local court. When someone finally picked up the phone to talk to them, they were devastated to learn that Ms. Wang had already been sentenced to 3.5 years. When they asked why they were not informed of the trial, the person said there was no trial.
Ms. Wang is currently being held in an unknown detention facility in the Daxing District.
Shandong Woman in Her 70s Secretly Sentenced to One Year
Ms. Li Guiqin, in her 70s, and of Dezhou City, Shandong Province, was arrested on August 20, 2025, and given one month of detention at the Dezhou City Detention Center. The police did not release her on September 21 as promised. Her family then received a court notice saying that she had been sentenced to one year in prison. They were not told when she was indicted, tried, or sentenced. The detention center also barred them from visiting her.
Repeatedly Persecuted
Ms. Li Yufen, 63, and Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, was arrested on April 25, 2025, while she was shopping for shoes. The police searched her and rummaged through her bag, confiscating her home key and electric bicycle key.
After interrogating Ms. Li, the police forced her to lead them to her home for a raid. They confiscated a set of Falun Gong books, a computer, a portrait of Falun Gong’s founder, and other valuables.
Ms. Li was next taken to the Baarin Left Banner Hospital for a physical exam. The doctors there drew her blood and gave her an electrocardiogram. She was then admitted to the Baarin Left Banner Detention Center. The Baarin Left Banner Procuratorate indicted her and forwarded her case to the Baarin Left Banner Court on July 25, 2025.
Ms. Li stood trial on September 10, 2025. Her lawyer defended her innocence, and she also testified in her own defense. The court later sentenced her to six years with a 30,000-yuan fine.
This is not the first time that Ms. Li has been targeted for her faith. She previously served two labor camp terms and two prison terms for a total of 14 years. Her pension has been suspended since November 2015.
Ms. Zuo Xiuyun, 64, from Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, was arrested on May 21, 2024, after being spotted placing a letter thought to contain information about Falun Gong in a mail collection box.
The police raided Ms. Zuo’s residence, which she shared with her brother, Mr. Zuo Fusheng. They confiscated a computer, a printer, some blank envelopes, and Falun Gong books.
One officer beat Ms. Zuo in front of a crowd. During her physical exam before she was admitted to the Fuzhou City Second Detention Center, she was found to have blood in her urine, and her abdomen was bruised.
After Ms. Zuo was indicted, the Minqing County Court denied her lawyer’s request to release her to take care of her brother, who is legally blind.
Following a hearing on December 13, 2024, the court returned Ms. Zuo’s case twice to the police for additional evidence and postponed the sentencing hearing three times before eventually sentencing her to three years and five months.
This is the fifth time Ms. Zuo, a former kindergarten teacher, has been sentenced for practicing Falun Gong. She previously served three years between October 12, 2000, and October 12, 2003, six years between June 3, 2004, and June 3, 2010, three and a half years between December 16, 2011, and June 16, 2015, and five years between December 28, 2015, and December 28, 2020. Her husband divorced her while she was serving her first prison sentence.
Targeted for Raising Awareness about the Persecution
Shaanxi Woman Sentenced to Seven Years for Raising Awareness about the Persecution
Ms. Hou Xiuying, a 65-year-old retired employee of the Mian County Gold Company in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, was arrested at home on March 1, 2024. The police targeted her after a surveillance camera recorded her talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong. They raided her home and took her to the Mian County Detention Center. She was transferred to the Hantai District Detention Center in Hanzhong City 15 days later.
The police promised Ms. Hou’s family that they’d release her as soon as she revealed information about other practitioners. She saw through the police’s deceit and refused to comply. She was secretly sentenced to seven years by the Mian County Court at an unknown date and has been admitted to prison to serve time.
Four Jilin Men Sentenced for Telling People About the Persecution of Falun Gong
The Dehui City Court in Jilin Province sentenced four residents of Yushu City in the same province to prison on August 18, 2025, for raising awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing persecution of their faith, Falun Gong.
Mr. Du Changjiang, 48, Mr. Lyu Xianfeng, 61, and Mr. Fan Yunpeng, 53, were each given five and a half years. Mr. Yang Fujun, 57, received four and a half years. All four of them were also each fined 10,000 yuan. They are currently held in a local detention center.
Mr. Du and Mr. Yang were arrested on December 30, 2024, by officers from the Yushu City Domestic Security Office and its subordinate police stations. The police seized Mr. Fan the next day. They targeted the three practitioners after discovering they helped people install satellite dishes to receive uncensored overseas news, which exposed the persecution of Falun Gong.
Another group of officers from the Yushu City Domestic Security Office traveled to Baise City in Guangxi Province (over 2,000 miles away) and arrested Mr. Lyu there on December 30, 2024, while he was purchasing satellite dishes. They took him back to Yushu and put him in criminal detention.
The four practitioners were issued formal arrest warrants on January 23, 2025, and sentenced by the Dehui City Court on August 18. Both Dehui and Yushu are under the administration of the capital city of Changchun.
Father of Two College Girls Beaten and Sentenced to 2.5 Years For Talking to People About His Faith
Mr. Guo Haicheng, of Bin County, Heilongjiang Province, went to nearby Fangzheng County to purchase produce for his small business on September 4, 2024. He talked to the farmers about Falun Gong’s health benefits. While some were receptive, others reported him to the police.
The police arrested Mr. Guo, a father of two college girls, on his way home. They took him to the Fangzheng County Detention Center. His car and the produce he just bought were impounded. A relative of his later used his connection to get the car and produce. But due to improper storage, the produce was about to rot, and the relative was forced to relinquish it at significant financial loss.
The police took Mr. Guo to his home a few days later and beat him in front of his neighbors. Two of his teeth were knocked out, and he also had several other injuries.
The police forced Mr. Guo to open the door and then searched his home. His Falun Gong books and other personal belongings were confiscated.
Mr. Guo was sentenced to two and a half years by the Yilan County Court at an unknown date. He has been admitted to the Tailai Prison to serve time.
Mr. Guo told his lawyer that the police forbade him from seeking treatment after he was beaten. The poor living environment and abuse at the detention center made it hard for him to recover. He also said that he didn’t have any money in his commissary account, even though his family had made several deposits for him.
Devastated by Mr. Guo’s arrest, his wife fell ill and was hospitalized. She tried to bribe the police in exchange for his release. While the police promised to help her and seek a lighter term of between 12 to 14 months for him, he ended up receiving a term twice as long. Only then did Mr. Guo’s wife realize the police lied to her.
Two Guangdong Women Roughed Up After Arrests, Both Sentenced to 3 Years
The Chikan District Court in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, sentenced two local women to three years in prison for raising awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong.
The wrongful conviction of Ms. Yu Mei, 58, and Ms. Wu Shaochuan, 62, stemmed from their arrests on May 14, 2023. They talked to people about Falun Gong that day and were reported by a college student. The police arrested them and took them to the Cunjin Police Station.
During the interrogation, both women were handcuffed, body-searched, and had their pictures and fingerprints taken against their will. Ms. Yu refused to comply and was held down by several officers. They slit her finger and pressed her fingerprints. The police next raided the two women’s homes and detained them for 15 days.
Ms. Yu and Ms. Wu were taken back into custody on September 16, 2024, while they were buying deli food together. The police snatched Ms. Yu’s key and raided her home. Another group of officers smashed open Ms. Wu’s door and searched her place, too. Both women had their Falun Gong books and other belongings confiscated. Their families only saw a red stamp on the so-called “search warrants” that the police quickly showed them. There were no signatures as required by law.
Ms. Yu and Ms. Wu were taken to the Zhanjiang City Detention Center. They stood trial at the Chikan District Court on March 19, 2025. No prosecution witness appeared in court to accept cross-examination. The judge sentenced both of them to three years at an unknown time.
Family Tragedies
Shandong Man’s Family in Despair After His Latest Sentencing
On October 6, 2025, the Mid-Autumn Festival (a holiday for family reunions), Mr. Zhang Zhirong’s family was notified that he had been sentenced to four years for his faith in Falun Gong.
Mr. Zhang, a 56-year-old farmer in Laixi City, Shandong Province, was arrested on September 26, 2024. After over a year in the Laixi City Detention Center, he was convicted and transferred to Shandong Province Prison in the capital city of Jinan. He became emaciated as a result of abuse in custody.
Mr. Zhang’s arrest and sentencing were hard on his parents, who are in their 80s. His mother fell ill last year. With no retirement income, his father makes a living picking and selling recyclable waste. Mr. Zhang’s wife is doing odd jobs to pay for their child’s college education.
Sole Caregiver of Disabled Husband and Daughter Sentenced to 2.5 Years for Her Faith
A 73-year-old woman in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, was recently convicted for her faith in Falun Gong. Her husband and daughter, both of whom are disabled and rely on her for care, have struggled to fend for themselves since she was taken away.
Ms. Zhao Caixia was approached by the police and had her luggage searched while she and her sister, Ms. Zhao Caihong, were waiting to board a train at the Harbin City Train Station on April 25, 2025. Upon discovering paper currency printed with information about Falun Gong, the police arrested the sisters and took them to a police station. The police also raided both sisters’ homes and seized their Falun Gong books, informational materials, and portraits of Falun Gong’s founder.
Ms. Zhao Caihong was released after 15 days, while Ms. Zhao Caixia was held at the Harbin City Second Detention Center.
The police submitted Ms. Zhao Caixia’s case to the Harbin Railway Transportation Procuratorate on July 28. She was indicted in late August. She appeared in the Harbin Railway Transportation Court on September 16 and was sentenced to 2.5 years with a 2,000-yuan fine days later.
Prior to her retirement, Ms. Zhao Caixia was the deputy director of the Quality Inspection Department of Acheng Textile Printing and Dyeing Factory. She used to have severe rheumatoid arthritis and gout, which rendered her almost unable to walk. She tried various treatments, only to see her condition deteriorate over time. In just two months after she took up Falun Gong in 2005, Ms. Zhao recovered and has enjoyed good health since.
Energetic and healthy again, Ms. Zhao has been taking good care of her husband and daughter for the past two decades. Her husband suffers from a slipped disc, gout, and a parasitic brain infection; he is bedridden most of the time and unable to take care of himself. Their daughter has a mental illness and needs constant supervision. With Ms. Zhao’s prison sentence, they are now in a very difficult situation.
Elderly Mother Suffers Heart Attack During Daughter’s Unlawful Arrest
Ms. Yuan Yiqun, 55 and of Kunming City, Yunnan Province, was arrested on August 8, 2024, as soon as she opened the door for her 80-year-old mother, who just returned home from grocery shopping. More than ten plainclothes officers seized her. Her mother was so terrified that she had a relapse of her heart condition and was rushed to the hospital.
The police took Ms. Yuan to the Kunming City Police Department. She stood trial at the Xishan District Court on January 20, 2025, and was later sentenced to 3.5 years and fined 10,000 yuan. She was admitted to the Yunnan Province Women’s Second Prison on April 17, 2025.
This is not the first time that Ms. Yuan, who used to work at a large state-owned enterprise, has been targeted for her faith. She was closely monitored and harassed for years before her latest arrest.
Related Reports:
Reported in September 2025: 43 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in August 2025: 69 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in July 2025: 74 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in the First Half of 2025: 430 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in May 2025: 79 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in April 2025: 79 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in March 2025: 61 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in February 2025: 68 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
Reported in January 2025: 97 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced for Their Faith
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