(Minghui.org) On December 24, 2012, ten months after the Changning District Domestic Security Division illegally arrested Ms. Zhang Yi, mother of a five-year-old, and her good friend Ms. Hu Zhongtian, both practitioners were tried in Changning District Court. Without any credible evidence, the court sentenced Ms. Zhang to four and a half years and Ms. Hu to three and a half years.

Ms. Zhang, 34, was arrested just outside her apartment building on the night of February 1, 2012. The next day her friend, Ms. Hu Zhongtian, 38, was arrested. Ms. Zhang's parents brought her daughter to Changning District Domestic Security Division and Changning District Court to request her release numerous times. The Domestic Security Division adamantly refused to set her free and instead directed the court to sentence both women.

On the day of the trial, Ms. Zhang’s family could barely recognize her. After suffering ten months of psychological and physical abuse, she was pale and thin. While visiting her at Changning Detention Center earlier, her lawyer learned that she had been handcuffed for an entire week and that, at another time, five guards kept her tied to a bed for 31 straight hours.

The trial was held in a very long, narrow room. The first few rows were occupied by unidentified individuals while the families of both practitioners were told to sit in the very back. Since there was no microphone available, it was very hard for Ms. Zhang’s family to hear what she had to say.

Public prosecutor Zhu Liqun revealed that the police had been shadowing Ms. Zhang and Ms. Hu for about 3-4 years prior to their arrests.

Both practitioners kept presenting the facts and advising the presiding judge, Yang Huixin; clerk Zhou Weimin; and others to stop persecuting Dafa disciples, but Yang Huixin refused to listen.

Ms. Zhang and Ms. Hu’s lawyers entered a not guilty plea on their behalf and pointed out that practicing Falun Gong was legal, but Yang Huixin kept interrupting them.

Both practitioners were illegally arrested and their homes illegally searched, yet the public prosecutor ignored the facts and fabricated charges against them. The women’s families were outraged, and Ms. Zhang’s father raised his hand for a chance to speak and clarify everything. Yang Huixin refused his request and threatened to throw him out of the courtroom.

At the conclusion of the trial, when Ms. Zhang’s father again pointed out the fact that Changning District Domestic Security Division had fabricated evidence against her, the court called in marshals to drive him out.

Yang Huixin sentenced Ms. Zhang to four and a half years and Ms. Hu to three and a half years. After hearing the sentences, Ms. Zhang compassionately advised the court clerks, “I don’t care how you treat me, but for your own safety I hope you stop participating in the persecution of Dafa disciples.”

Details of Ms. Zhang's and Ms. Hu's Arrest

On the night of February 1, 2012, Ms. Zhang was returning home from work when she was arrested by Changning District Domestic Security Division agents who had been waiting for her outside her apartment building located on Ganquan Road in the Putuo District.

Changning District Domestic Security Division even went to Ms. Zhang’s five-year-old daughter’s kindergarten and attempted to coerce the little girl to help them frame her mother.

The day after Ms. Zhang was arrested, her friend, Ms. Hu Zhongtian, went to visit her. As she was leaving, plainclothes officers accosted her and demanded to search her bag. They shoved her down on the ground and held her there as they yanked at her bag with such force that her hands bled. Ms. Hu was then arrested.

Ms. Zhang Yi’s parents hired a lawyer from Beijing. However the lawyer had a hard time even getting permission to visit his client and was told her case had already been handed to the Procuratorate. Three weeks after the lawyer took the case and after making two round trips from Beijing to Shanghai, Ms. Zhang’s lawyer was finally able to visit her.

During his most recent visit, Ms. Zhang Yi’s lawyer learned that she had been handcuffed for a week, from November 2 to 8, and she had been tied to a bed for over 31 hours, on November 7 and 8. Five people were involved in carrying out this torture: female guard Gu Siyi, female guard Tao Wenwen, a male guard, and two inmates.

For more details about the persecution of Ms. Zhang Yi and Ms. Hu Zhongtian, please read: “Young Mother Ms. Zhang Yi and Ms. Hu Zhongtian Illegally Tried at Changning District Court in Shanghai” http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2013/1/5/136973.html

Parties involved in this case:

Changning District Court
Yang Huixin, presiding judge
Zhou Weimin, clerk: 86-21-52574999 ext. 64086
Yuan Guixiang, head of Changning District Domestic Security Division: +86-21-62906290 x39206 (Office)
Jun Meijuan, Changning District 610 Office: +86-21-52171531 x36038 (Office)
Changning District Detention Center: +86-21-62394720

Please refer to the original Chinese article for more people and offices involved in the persecution.