(Minghui.org) Mr. Wang Youjiang and Ms. Chen Jie were tried in Chengguan District Court in Lanzhou City on November 24, 2012. Neither their attorney nor their families were notified beforehand.
Mr. Wang and Ms. Chen signed an “Assignment Agreement” with a lawyer from Beijing on November 13, 2012. When the lawyer went to the Lanzhou No. 1 Detention Center to see Ms. Chen, the detention center staff refused to allow the meeting, saying that the lawyer did not have an indictment. The lawyer told the guards that there was no such regulation in Criminal Law or Criminal Procedure Law. The guard said, “We have this rule in Lanzhou. Look at our local lawyers—they bring the indictments when they come to meet their clients.”
The lawyer had to go to the Chengguan District Court to get the indictment. However, the judge refused to give it to him, saying that the client himself did not hire the lawyer, even though Mr. Wang sent a letter asking the lawyer to plead not guilty for him. Left with no choice, the lawyer returned to Beijing that day.
Mr. Wang's family went to the Chengguan District Court on November 15 and 16 to see Wei Gongxin, the chief judge of the criminal court. He refused to see the family, saying that it was not his business. The family waited for him in front of the courthouse on November 16. Wei came out and said that he knew nothing about it and hastily left in a car.
The lawyer went to Lanzhou again on November 22. He went to see Wei, submitted all the legal documents, and asked for Mr. Wang's indictment. However, Wei refused to take the legal documents. The lawyer filed a complaint with the Discipline Inspection Division.
When the lawyer went to see Wei the second time, Wei said, “I will ask the client to see if he wants a lawyer.” He did not take the legal documents this time, either. In the meantime, Mr. Wang's family called judge Liu Dongyu, who handled the case. Liu used the same excuse, saying that the client did not hire a lawyer. He then said, “Wait for a phone call!” and hung up the phone.
Mr. Wang's family called the criminal court on December 4, 2012, and were told that both practitioners had been tried on November 24 (a weekend). The family said, “That was illegal.” Liu said, “You can talk to whoever you want to, and sue me wherever you want to sue me.” He then hung up the phone.
It is common practice to try Falun Gong practitioners without notifying their lawyers or families. There have been several such cases in Gansu Province. Linxia County Court, which tried Mr. Li Jiankui, Mr. Jia Chunzhen, Mr. Song Zongxiao, and Ms. Wang Jinfeng on November 12, 2012, did so without notifying their families. Mr. Li was sentenced to six years in prison; Mr. Jia, five years; Mr. Song, four-and-a-half years; and Ms. Wang, four years. Huining County Court tried Ms. He Yuhu and three other practitioners on November 23, 2012, without notifying their lawyers or families. The court gave each practitioner a three-year prison sentence. On December 6, 2012, the Jinchuan District Court ignored the law and the facts of the case to follow orders from the Jinchang City 610 Office, and sentenced four Falun Gong practitioners. It is known that Mr. Chen Xuzhong was sentenced to four years in prison; Ms. Liu Zhiping, three years; Mr. Lu Jun, five years; and Ms. Yu Chenghong, four years.
Parties involved in the persecution:
Luo Xiaohu, secretary of the Gansu Political and Legal Affairs Committee: +86-13893633886
Wei Gongxin, chief judge of the criminal court, Chengguan District Court: +86-931-8522809
Liu Dongyu, judge of the Chengguan District Court: +86-931-8522815
Earlier report:
Chengguan District Court Denies Fair Trials in Persecuting Mr. Wang Youjiang and Others (http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2013/1/19/137179.html)