(Minghui.org) The president of a court in Liaoyuan City told a Falun Gong practitioner's family, “If you want to hire an attorney from outside the area, you must get approval from the head of the 610 Office.”

The Communist regime created the extralegal “610 Office” specifically to oversee the arrest, imprisonment, and brainwashing of Falun Gong practitioners. It has the power to override all police and judicial organs in carrying out its activities.

The president of Xi'an District Court called Mr. Tian's daughter on November 28 to tell her that her father's trial would be held on December 11, 2014.

He also asked, “Who told you to hire an attorney from outside the area? Why don't you hire a local one?”

“I tried. But nobody dares to accept cases related to Falun Gong. They told me that they might have their license revoked if they do,” Mr. Tian's daughter answered.

The president continued, “If you hire an attorney from outside the area, you must get approval from the head of the 610 Office. If he doesn't approve it, we won't allow the attorney to defend your parents in court.”

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Tian Yifu, 63, and his wife Ms. Zhang Guixia were arrested at their home on July 31, 2014 by a dozen officers from the Tai'an Domestic Security Division. They have been held in a detention center for over five months.

Their case files are in the hands of Pi Fuguo, head of the local 610 Office.