Extra Bio Info:

Yao Guofu was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.

On December 5, 2015, plainclothes police officers detained Yao and his wife, Liang Xin, from their home in Nanyang municipality, Henan province. 

On January 12, 2016, Yao and Liang were charged with "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL). Police reportedly confiscated several Falun Gong-related materials and electronics.  The two were accused of using a virtual private network service to access and disseminate Falun Gong materials to the public. 

On December 12, 2016, Yao and Liang were both sentenced to four years and six months in prison and each fined 10,000 yuan.  

In March 2017, the Nanyang City Intermediate People’s Court reportedly rejected Yao and Liang's appeal.

Yao was reportedly beaten by detention center and prison authorities.

In 2020 or 2021, Yao was released.

Yao and Liang are part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project.

Yao and Liang have a daughter.

Related Cases: Liang Xin

Extra Bio Info:

Zhang Aili was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In November 2018, authorities arrested Zhang reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. She was held at the Dongying City Detention Center, where it is reported that she had been mistreated.

In December 2019, the Dongying District Court sentenced Zhang to two years and ten months in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL). She was also fined 8,000 yuan.  She was reportedly denied access to her legal counsel.

In April 2020, the Dongying City Intermediate Court rejected Zhang's appeal.

In July 2020, Zhang was transferred to Shandong Province Women’s Prison.

Zhang's sentence should have ended in January 2021.

Zhang's son is a U.S. resident.

Zhang has been previously arrested in relation to her Falun Gong activities.

Extra Bio Info:

Ma Zhenyu was imprisoned for his religious activity. 

On September 19, 2017, authorities arrested Ma after he sent mail to government leaders about Falun Gong persecution.

On June 28, 2018, the Xuanwu District Court sentenced Ma to three years in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL) and fined him 30,000 yuan.

On August 30, 2018, the Nanjing Intermediate People's Court rejected Ma's appeal. There are reports that Ma was denied adequate legal representation.

On July 17, 2019, Zhang Yuhua, Ma's wife and a U.S. resident, met with President Donald Trump at the White House.

On July 20, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Ma in a press release commemorating China's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. 

On September 19, 2020, Ma was released from prison after completing his sentence. 

Ma is married with one child. 

Ma has been previously arrested on multiple occasions for his Falun Gong activities, including in 1999, 2000, and 2011. He served seven years in prison between 2000 and 2007. During these arrests and imprisonments, Ma was reportedly tortured.