(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Zhang Jinhong was recently sentenced to five years in prison by Chengde City's Xinglong County Court.

The reason for her arrest was that she filed a lawsuit against former dictator Jiang Zemin for his role in launching the persecution of Falun Gong, which caused harm to her and her family.

However, Ms. Zhang was charged with “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a common charge used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to imprison Falun Gong practitioners in its persecution of the spiritual practice.

Ms. Zhang will appeal her sentencing to a higher court.

She was arrested at home by officers from the Xinglong County Domestic Security Division on June 1, 2016. The police ransacked her home and confiscated Falun Gong books, a computer, two printers and other personal belongings.

Ms. Zhang was taken to the Chengde City Detention Center and has been held there ever since.

Background

Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong in July 1999.

The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners over the past 17 years. More have been tortured for their belief, and even killed for their organs. Jiang is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.

Under his personal direction, the CCP established an extralegal security organ, the 610 Office, on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides the police and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's policy regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.

Chinese law now allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are exercising this right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.

Parties involved in the persecution of Ms. Zhang:Lu Liyin (陆立银), chief of Xinglong County Domestic Security Division: +86-13333399953Xu Quan (徐权), instructor of Xinglong County Domestic Security Division: +86-13903248809Guan Changmin (管长民), judge of Xinglong County Court: +86-13932403855