(Minghui.org) A 69-year-old woman serving a three-year term for her faith in Falun Gong was issued critical condition notices three times between December 2025 and June 2026, yet the prison authorities are still “processing” her medical parole application after six months.
Ms. Ma Ling, a retired librarian in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, was arrested on June 6, 2024, and sentenced to three years with a 10,000-yuan fine on May 1, 2025. She previously served two labor camp terms and a prior prison term totaling 9.5 years. Her pension has been suspended since 2014.
Ms. Ma was admitted to the Yunnan Province Second Women’s Prison on December 25, 2025, and underwent a required physical exam that day.
Guard Wang (+86-871-65126165) from the ninth division and a prison doctor called Ms. Ma’s family right after the physical exam on December 25, 2025. They said she was found to have 11 diseases, including pelvic malignant tumor; ovarian cyst; moderate anemia; hypertension; irregular vaginal bleeding; fatty liver; chronic cholecystitis with gallstones; left kidney stone; cerebral atrophy; aortic calcification; mixed plaques in both renal arteries.
Ms. Ma’s tumor might continue to worsen and metastasize; her vaginal bleeding might result in infection and shock; and her organ failure could be fatal, warned the doctor.
On December 26, 2025, Ms. Ma was rushed to the Central Hospital of Yunnan Provincial Prison Administration Bureau. That afternoon, guard Wang and a different doctor (surnamed Li; +86-871-65126165) called her family. They said the hospital issued a critical condition notice because Ms. Ma’s anemia had progressed from moderate to severe. Her family immediately requested medical parole, but Wang refused on the grounds that it would involve “complex procedures.”
Dr. Li called Ms. Ma’s family on April 24, 2026, to say that she was discharged from the central hospital on March 13 and brought to the Yan’an Hospital on April 20 for a checkup. The latter hospital found that:
- The malignant tumor in Ms. Ma’s left adnexa of the ovary had grown to approximately nine centimeters;- A cancerous tumor was discovered in the gastrointestinal tract, which the hospital believed to be the primary cancer;- The ovarian tumor was the secondary cancer;- The cancer had progressed to an advanced stage;- Ms. Ma still had mild anemia.
Ms. Ma was taken back to the prison after the visit to the Yan’an Hospital and checked into the in-house hospital. Her family submitted another parole request on April 27. She had fever and stomach bloating on May 7 and was transferred to the central hospital, which issued another critical condition notice on May 9.
Guard Wang called the family on May 22, 2026, asking them to prepare documents for a guarantor who would be held responsible for Ms. Ma’s compliance with parole conditions. Her loved ones submitted the required documents on May 25 and also signed multiple other documents. Wang promised to submit the parole request to higher-ups but did not say when the family could expect a decision.
Ms. Ma called her family from the central hospital on June 4 and said the guards had her sign some community corrections documents. She also revealed that she had lost 22 pounds and had no appetite. She was either constipated or had diarrhea more than ten times a day, causing her great suffering.
The Lianhua Judicial Office in Wuhua District, where Ms. Ma resides, notified her family that they had received the community corrections documents from the prison. Eight people from the judicial office, the local police station, community, street office, and political and legal affairs committee visited the family on June 10 to evaluate the feasibility of releasing Ms. Ma on parole.
The judicial office notified the family on June 12 that they had submitted their evaluation report to the prison. The family went to the prison that day, which was a visitation day for inmates. They were told that Ms. Ma was still in the central hospital. They asked to see her there, and a guard said they’d need to “discuss the matter.”
A guard surnamed Yang and a prison doctor called the family at around 8 p.m. on June 19, saying that Ms. Ma had rectal bleeding that day and was issued a critical condition notice by the central hospital.
The doctor said that the hospital results were similar to earlier ones, including:
- The malignant tumor of the left adnexa had metastasized to the rectum and pelvis;- Intestinal obstruction;- Gallstones;- Hypertension;- Fever.
The doctor stated that further examination would be needed to determine the cause of the rectal bleeding, including stool tests and fecal occult blood tests. He warned that the condition may continue to worsen and that the rectal bleeding could lead to hemorrhagic shock, severe anemia, and even death.
The family asked about their parole application, and Yang replied that the prison “has been actively processing the application and will notify the family once a final decision is made.”
The family called the ninth division on June 22 to inquire about their parole application, and the person answering the phone said he’d relay the message to guard Wang. The family has not heard anything yet.
The family visited the Criminal Execution Division of the Yunnan Provincial Prison Administration Bureau on June 24. Two police officers received the family and stated:
- They have not received the parole materials from the prison;- They have no right to directly interfere with the prison’s specific handling of the matter;- They have recorded the family’s concerns;- According to the procedure, opinions from multiple departments are required, and the family needs to wait patiently.
Ms. Ma’s medical parole has still not been approved.
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