(Minghui.org) Ms. Liu Yueli had become extremely frail by the time she completed a third prison sentence in mid-July 2024. She was arrested and incarcerated because she practices Falun Gong. The then 62-year-old resident of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, had deformed fingers, lost most of her teeth (the remaining ones were loose) and her hair was completely gray and balding.
Ms. Liu, born in April 1962, was arrested on July 16, 2020, and sentenced to four years in 2022. She was admitted to the Guangdong Province Women’s Prison in May 2023.
The prison guards arranged three inmates to monitor Ms. Liu. The inmates taunted her for being a “three-peat.” She served two prior terms totaling 5.5 years in the same prison because she practices Falun Gong. They ordered her to read materials that slander Falun Gong. When she refused to say she was “guilty” they didn’t allow her to sleep, shower, or use the restroom. She was in a constant state of anxiety: her heart raced and she had difficulty breathing.
The inmates later allowed Ms. Liu to use the restroom, but she had to squat and raise her hand facing the surveillance camera and shout “I’m criminal Liu.” Whenever she did not comply she was beaten and verbally abused.
Ms. Liu was in unbearable pain because she could not use the restroom when she needed to. Her bladder was full so she could not fall asleep. She later became incontinent and felt drained. By the time she was released in mid-July 2024, she looked ten years older than her age.
Ms. Liu, from Huarong County, Hunan Province, suffered from many ailments, including gallstones, insomnia, and stomach problems. Just as she was about to schedule surgery to remove the gallstones in early 1999, a friend suggested she practice Falun Gong.
The friend used to have a sallow complexion due to diabetes but was energetic after she practiced Falun Gong for one month. Ms. Liu was inspired and decided to take up the practice as well. After just one exercise session, her pain disappeared and her appetite returned. After three days, she returned to work. All of her diseases disappeared as she continued to practice.
After the persecution started months later, Ms. Liu persisted in practicing Falun Gong and in her spare time she raised awareness about the persecution. She was reported for distributing Falun Gong materials on February 1, 2007, and arrested. The Conghua District Court in Guangzhou City sentenced her to 3.5 years on December 7, 2007.
During her one-year detention at Conghua District Detention Center, she was forced to take cold showers in the winter, eat raw rice, sleep on cold, damp concrete floors, and do intensive unpaid labor. Her hair turned gray and her menstrual period stopped when she was only 45. The abuse continued after she was transferred to the Guangdong Province Women’s Prison.
While taking the subway on July 26, 2015, Ms. Liu talked to the boy sitting next to her about Falun Gong and he reported her. The police arrested her and gave her ten days of administrative detention. Ten days later, she was transferred to the Guangzhou City No.1 Detention Center. She was forced to do heavy labor without pay, while wearing shackles. The guards constantly deprived her of sleep. She suffered malnutrition due to the poor food. Three of her teeth came out and she also had extensive hair loss.
The Tianhe District Court sentenced Ms. Liu to two years at the Guangdong Province Women’s Prison on October 21, 2016. She appealed to the Guangzhou City Intermediate Court, which ruled to uphold her original verdict.
Ms. Liu was arrested again on July 9, 2019, while walking on the street. She was held at the police station until 3 a.m.
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