(Minghui.org) A Botou City, Hebei Province, resident, was recently sent to prison to serve a 16-month term for his faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Mr. Duan Zhisheng, a factory worker, was arrested at work by officers from the Botou City Police Department on July 3, 2023. Three officers went to his home that afternoon, showed his wife a detention notice and ordered her to sign it. The police said they arrested him because he posted information about Falun Gong on WeChat using his cellphone.

Mr. Duan was held at the Botou City Detention Center for a few days and then transferred to the Renqiu City Detention Center. The local court held a secret hearing of his case and sentenced him to 16 months in the Tangshan Prison without informing his family.

The prison called Mr. Duan’s wife weeks ago and asked what her attitude was towards Falun Gong. She said that her husband didn’t commit any wrongdoing in practicing Falun Gong or sharing information about it on WeChat.

Mr. Duan isn’t the only Botou resident who was convicted for posting information on WeChat about Falun Gong. Another resident, Mr. Li Bin, was arrested at his home on April 28, 2021 by the Internet police in Henan Province and was later sentenced to 7.5 years for sending messages on WeChat about the persecution of Falun Gong.