71-Year-Old Falun Gong Practitioner Dies from Persecution in Custody
Liaoning Province Second Women’s Prison (Minghui.org/Edited by Faluninfo)
On May 9, Wang Yan, a 71-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, died while imprisoned at Liaoning Province Second Women’s Prison. Her death brings the number of confirmed Falun Gong deaths due to persecution by the Chinese Communist Party to over 5,205, according to Minghui.org.
Sentenced for distributing Falun Gong materials
Ms. Wang Yan lived alone, according to Weiquanwang. On March 5, 2022, officers from Dongta Police Station in Shenyang’s Dadong District—led by officer Fang Peng—forced their way into her home without a warrant. They claimed someone had reported that she had been distributing Falun Gong materials in her apartment building. Police ransacked her residence and confiscated Falun Gong books, a portrait of the practice’s founder, and her cell phone. She was detained for three days and released only after police extorted 5,000 yuan from her.
On July 20, that same year, the police returned and took Wang into custody again. She was later sentenced to four years in prison by a local court and transferred to Liaoning Province Second Women’s Prison where she endured continued persecution.
Death in custody
While jailed, Wang Yan’s health rapidly declined. She developed breast cancer, which her supporters attribute to sustained mistreatment and denial of medical care. She died in custody on May 9, 2025, never having regained her freedom.
Liaoning currently has two women’s prisons, the Liaoning Province Women’s Prison and the Liaoning Province Second Women’s Prison. Both prisons are located in Shenyang City, and are separated by a wall. Most Falun Gong practitioners have been admitted to the Liaoning Province Second Women’s Prison in recent years. A 2023 report noted that the Liaoning Women’s Prison system is directly responsible for the deaths of at least 63 Falun Gong practitioners.
Wang Yan’s death has sparked serious concerns among human rights advocates. She was imprisoned and ultimately died simply for peacefully expressing her beliefs. Those involved in her arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment—including officers from Dongta Police Station, local prosecutors, the court, and prison authorities—bear direct responsibility for her death.
