With no other source of income and with her husband unemployed as well, Ms. Guo tried very hard to find a job to support her family, but she could not find one. The police had already completely extorted the family's savings from them. At the same time, her child was in university and was in need of quite a sum of money. Ms. Guo had to borrow about 10,000 yuan from her sisters to support the family.

Ms. Guo Yingjie, 48 years old, lives in Yongji County, Jilin Province. She used to work in a credit union office in Yongji County, and was eventually dismissed from her job because she practices Falun Gong.

In September 1999, Ms. Guo went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong. The police arrested her and detained her in the Shunyi Detention Center in Beijing for more than 10 days. Ms. Guo was then sent the Kouqian Detention Station in her hometown and later released.

In October 2000, Ms. Guo went to Beijing again to appeal for Falun Gong. She was arrested again and detained in the Kouqian Detention Station for three months. At the time, some policemen tried to force Ms. Guo to write a repentance statement ; she firmly refused. She was then dismissed from her work unit for one year. With no other source of income and with her husband unemployed as well, Ms. Guo tried very hard to find a job to support her family, but she could not find one. The police had already completely extorted the family's savings from them. At the same time, her child was in university and was in need of quite a sum of money. Ms. Guo had to borrow about 10,000 yuan from her sisters to support the family.

With others’ help, Ms. Guo eventually returned to her original work unit. Some time in 2000, the public security agents pressured the managers into dismissing Ms. Guo from her job once again. Although she was not arrested this time, the police extorted around 5,000 yuan in cash as a fine. However, in 2003, Ms. Guo again returned to her work unit.

On the night of February 3, 2005, more than 20 security agents from the Yongji County Public Security Department and the Jilin Province Public Security Bureau broke into Ms. Guo's house and ransacked it. The security agents took things away at will. They confiscated all of the Falun Gong-related materials, a computer, and a printer. They even stole coins that Ms. Guo's child had saved in a piggy bank and some dried snack food. Ms. Guo was arrested and sent to the No. 3 Detention Center in Jilin Province.

Later, Ms. Guo was transferred to the No. 1 Detention Center in Jilin Province. After she had been detained for more than half a year, her work unit leaders and colleagues visited her. They were all shocked by the physical changes she had undergone since her arrest. Her features had completely changed; her body had become just skin and bones and her hair had turned gray.

On June 8, 2005, the Yongjie County Court sentenced Ms. Guo to six years in prison without any proof that she had committed any crime. In court, Ms. Guo told her story about the tremendous positive changes that she had undergone after she started practicing Falun Gong. She told the judge that she was not guilty of anything, as she followed the principles of "Truth, Benevolence, Forbearance" to become an even better citizen. Ms. Guo refused to sign the sentencing statement and was later sent to the No. 1 Detention Center again. Her family’s requests to visit Ms. Guo were denied.

The persecution has caused Ms. Guo's physical health to deteriorate. On two occasions when the authorities wanted to put her in prison, the prison refused to take her due to her health condition. Instead of releasing her, the authorities are holding Ms. Guo in the detention center and persecuting her there.

Ms. Guo's family is under enormous pressure. Her husband's diabetic symptoms have recurred and he is suffering from severe mental pressure. Ms. Guo's parents and her daughter are in an extremely difficult situation.