China jails Falungong followers for promoting 'cult'

China has sentenced two Falungong followers to 10 years in jail for manufacturing and spreading the group's promotional materials.

Wei Yumi and her sister Wei Yufen were convicted by a court in Qingdao city, in the northeastern province of Shandong, for activities related to "cult" organisations.

The court heard the sisters were arrested in May after they were found mass producing and copying audi-visual promotional materials for Falungong in two rented houses in Qingdao.

The Falungong was outlawed as an "evil cult" by China in 1999.

The group claims at least 1,600 of its members have been tortured or beaten to death since a crackdown was launched years ago.