(Minghui.org) On January 26, Falun Dafa practitioners Mr. Hu Baijuan, Ms. Sun Yumei, and Mr. Xiao Binhua were distributing Shen Yun DVD at Dawu Village, Lin Yuan Town, Datong District, Daqing City. They were reported by Lu Hongliang, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secretary of the village, and officers from the Linyuan Police Department illegally arrested them. The next day, Mr. Hu Baijuan was taken to the 1st Detention Center of Daqing City. Ms. Sun and Mr. Xiao are “on bail awaiting trial" because they failed to pass the physical.
On February 5, the Datong District Procuratorate issued a formal arrest warrant for Mr. Hu. On April 24, the Datong District Court arrested Mr. Xiao and held him in the 1st Detention Center of Daqing City. The three were tried on May 30 in the Datong District Court. Mr. Hu and Ms. Sun hired lawyers from Beijing. The public prosecutors were Li Jungang and Zhang Guanhua. The prosecutors repeatedly said, “The lawyers are also Falun Gong practitioners," in an attempt to hinder the defense.
When the lawyer stated, “Hu and Sun practice Falun Dafa, which is a belief,” Li Jungang shouted, “Falun Gong is not a belief!” The lawyer said, “According to Clause 251 of the Penal Code, any government officer that infringes on a citizen's freedom of belief can be sentenced to up to two years in prison. Therefore, the law enforcement officers persecuting my clients have already violated the law and should be investigated.” Chief Judge Wan Wenxiang responded by shouting at the top of his voice, “You said who violated the law? Be more specific! Who violated the law?" There were about 100 people in the courtroom, most of whom were police in plainclothes. Only a few were relatives of the Falun Gong practitioners.
On June 26, the Datong District Court announced the sentences: Mr. Hu and Ms. Sun were both sentenced to three and a half years in prison, and Mr. Xiao was sentenced to three years. That same day, Yan Guozhi, head of the Criminal Division of the Datong District Court, ordered the police to take Ms. Sun to the 1st Detention Center of Daqing City. The police at the detention center said that Ms. Sun, who is elderly, had not passed the physical the last time and refused to accept her. Yan Guozhi then took her for another physical. Ms. Sun still did not pass the exam, so the court had to release her.
Mr. Hu Baijuan and Ms. Sun Yumei are appealing their sentences.
Departments and individuals involved:
Linyuan Police Department:
Liu Tianwei, political commissar: 86-13339396003 (Cell)
Zhang Shanhai, captain of the Public Security Team: 86-13351697999 (Cell)
Wang Chengxiang, captain of the Criminal Team: 86-13394651807 (Cell)
Datong District Procuratorate:
Ruan Zhihua, chief procurator: 86-13359590095 (Cell), 86-459-6170095
Li Jungang, head of Prosecution Department: 86-13359590706 (Cell), 86-459-6170706 86-459-6272823
Datong District Court:
Ding Guoyu, director of the court: 8615331903888 (Cell), 86-459-6169567
Wang Wenxiang, deputy director of the court: 86-15303693016, 86-459-6170198
Yan Guozhi, head of the Criminal Division: 86-15303693017, 86-459-6170177 86-459-6271910
He Tieliu, judge of the Criminal Division: 86-15303693018, 86-459-6170603, 86-459-6177077