(Minghui.org) Mr. Ge Zhenhua, 61, has been denied access to his family since his arrest on June 21, 2016. His family recently learned that he had been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Mr. Ge was arrested with two other Falun Gong practitioners while hanging Falun Gong banners at Lianghe Township, Shangzhi City. He was taken to Shangzhi Detention Center.
After learning of Ge's arrest, his wife brought a change clothes for him to Shangzhi Police Department. When she inquired about his condition, a guard told her that her husband had been put under criminal detention. She was not allowed to see him and could only leave the clothes with the guard.
Later, a family acquaintance was able to find out from the local "610 Office" that Mr. Ge had been given a 12-year prison term. The authorities never informed his family of his arrest, trial, or sentence.
Mr. Ge's wife suffers from heart disease, severe cervical spondylosis, and high blood pressure. They do not have any children. It has been very difficult for her to care for herself since his arrest.
In addition, the authorities have also suspended Mr. Ge's pension, putting the family in financial distress.
Previous Detentions and Imprisonment
Mr. Ge has been arrested multiple times for practicing Falun Gong since 1999.
In 2002, Mr. Ge was arrested for distributing information about the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese communist regime. He was sentenced to two years at Changlingzi Forced Labor Camp, where he was severely tortured.
Prison guards and other inmates once beat him and broke two of his ribs. He was also forced to do hard labor and work with toxic materials almost every day.
Prior to that, he was taken to a brainwashing center for three months in 2001 and later detained at A'cheng Detention Center for 21 days.
It was said that Mr. Ge is appealing his sentence himself. Ms. Shu Kun and Ms. Wang Cuie, the two other practitioners who were arrested with him, were also sentenced to 10 and 5 years, respectively.
