John Chen, 71, of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Los Angeles, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for acting as unregistered agents of the PRC and bribing an IRS agent in connection with a plot to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC.

According to court documents, from at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, Chen and co-defendant Lin Feng, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, California, worked inside the United States at the direction of the PRC government, including an identified PRC government official PRC Official-1, to further the PRC government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. The PRC government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC government, including imprisonment.

  • ComradeSharkfucker@lemmy.mlEnglish
    6·
    19 hours ago

    Just to be clear. Falun Gong is not a peaceful “spiritual movement” facing oppression by the evil chinese government. It’s a cult of hate and exploitation.

    Falun Gong teaches that homosexuality is one of the greatest evils in the world today. They forbid any practitioners from engaging in homosexuality, and also spread propaganda claiming that homosexuality is part of a grand conspiracy to destroy traditional society.

    Falun Gong is completely opposed to feminism and to women’s rights. They teach that women must always be subservient to men effectively meaning that Falun Gong believes in Traditional Gender Roles for Women.

    Falun Gong teaches that communism is the greatest evil that exists. They even push the idea that announcing your opposition to communism verbally will help cure diseases. (No surprise that the US loves them so much)

    Li Hongzhi (leader of this cult) explained some of the Falun Gong’s teachings on aliens in a 1999 TIME Magazine interview. According to Li, aliens:

    • have invaded the human mind.
    • come from other planets and dimensions.
    • introduced machinery such as computers and airplanes to humans.
    • taught humans modern science.
    • intend to replace humans.
    • cause wars.
    • want to take over human bodies because human bodies are the most perfect in the Universe.

    They also run The Epoch Times which is a far right news paper you may have heard of

    • Narri N.@lemmy.world
      2·
      16 hours ago

      “a cult of hate and exploitation.” no wonder they’ve found a strong foothold in the US then! Not only do those seem to thrive there naturally, but nowadays they also seem to be encouraged to do so.