(Minghui.org) A 60-year-old woman in Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, was sentenced to four years on October 22, 2026, for telling people about the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing persecution of her faith, Falun Gong.
Ms. Zhang Xiuzhen was arrested on December 28, 2025, while distributing Falun Gong informational materials. She was issued a formal arrest warrant by the Jialing District Procuratorate, and her case was forwarded to the Jialing District Court on April 1, 2026.
Ms. Zhang first appeared in court on May 12, 2026. The presiding judge, Qin Wenling, stopped her when she recounted how she recovered from colon cancer after she began practicing Falun Gong in 2007. She was not allowed to say anything else.
Her lawyer pointed out that the Jialing District Police Department, which was responsible for Ms. Zhang’s arrest, and its supervising agency, the Nanchong City Police Department, were not qualified to verify that the informational materials she distributed promoted a cult. By law, only an independent, third-party agency is authorized to examine and authenticate prosecution evidence.
Prosecutor Han Yong cited the over 200 copies of informational materials seized as evidence against Ms. Zhang. Her lawyer pointed out that the materials were her lawful possessions and did not harm society.
Han showed a police surveillance video, but the footage did not show Ms. Zhang doing anything illegal. Her lawyer thus demanded she be acquitted. Judge Qin adjourned the session.
A second hearing was held on July 27, 2026. Two of Ms. Zhang’s family members were present to support her. This time she was able to testify in her own defense. She emphasized that she broke no law by practicing Falun Gong or spreading information about it because no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong.
Her lawyer concurred. He added that she didn’t cause any harm to any individual or society at large and that she should not be prosecuted for exercising her constitutional right to freedom of belief. He also reiterated other key defense points he presented during the first hearing and demanded Ms. Zhang be acquitted.
Ms. Zhang was sentenced on October 22, 2026. She has filed an appeal.
Prior to this latest persecution, Ms. Zhang was previously arrested multiple times and served two prison terms totaling three and a half years. Her pension was also suspended in July 2018. Her husband was unable to cope and divorced her. See the first related report for details of her past persecution.
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