Ms. Zhang Yanxia, a Falun Gong practitioner from Heishan County, Liaoning, sentenced to 5 years, develops heart disease as a result of persecution in prison

（Rights Defense Network Information Center report）On April 19, 2026，this outlet learned that Zhang Yanxia is a female Falun Gong practitioner from Heishan County, Liaoning，who was in her 50s in 2025。Zhang Yanxia began practicing Falun Gong in February 1999。In July of the same year，the Jiang Zemin faction of the Chinese Communist Party began its frenzied persecution of Falun Gong。In the face of the persecution，she continued to explain Falun Gong to the public，and was consequently arrested twice，in 2003 and 2005，by national security police from Heishan County，being detained for a total of two months and extorted for fines totaling 26,000 yuan。

On June 3, 2025，Zhang Yanxia and Xu Yue were arrested by police who broke into their homes，and have since been detained and framed at the Jinzhou Detention Center。In November 2025，the Heishan County Court held a trial，and Zhang Yanxia was sentenced to 5 years，while Xu Yue was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months，with it reportedly planned to transfer them to Liaoning Women's Prison in mid-December to serve their sentences。

Zhang Yanxia has been held in Liaoning Women's Prison for five months，and the prison has consistently refused to allow family visits on the grounds that she is “uncompromising” and “will not change her words”，because she insists on practicing Falun Gong。Not long ago，the prison suddenly called her family，saying that Zhang Yanxia had “developed heart disease due to high blood pressure” and stating that if her condition became serious they would notify the family again。Zhang Yanxia is in her 50s and was originally in robust health，with no illnesses whatsoever。Since being placed in the Jinzhou Detention Center last year，she has become visibly thinner，yet the family has now been told that she has developed heart disease。Her family is extremely concerned about her physical condition。What persecution she has suffered in prison remains to be determined。