Report: 117 Falun Gong Practitioners Sentenced in Jan. Across China

NTD Newsroom
By NTD Newsroom
February 13, 2023China News
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A brutal persecution that began two decades ago is still happening today in mainland China. The victims are followers of a spiritual practice called Falun Gong.

According to U.S.-based Falun Gong information website Minghui, 117 practitioners were sentenced for their beliefs in January this year. Among them, more than 30 were over 60 years old. The longest prison term they received reached seven and a half years.

Those 117 arrests took place across 15 provinces. The most came from Shandong Province, where 24 people were jailed.

What’s more, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also seized money from Falun Gong practitioners. Measures reportedly included extortion and blackmail through the courts and police. The amount totaled up to $100,000.

According to its website, Falun Gong is an ancient cultivation method based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It originated in China but has gained popularity in more than 70 countries worldwide.

But in 1999, the CCP waged a violent campaign against Falun Gong. Since then, millions of people have been detained, tortured, and killed for their beliefs. Some even had their organs harvested while they were still alive.

The persecution continues to this day.