(Minghui.org) The Dong'e County Court held a court hearing for Chiping County Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Xu Gongrui at 9 a.m., on April 11, 2014. At the court hearing, Mr. Xu pleaded not guilty and insisted that his practice of Falun Gong is legal. The day before and on the day of the court hearing, the authorities followed and harassed Xu's relatives.
Mr. Xu Gongrui, 44, lives in Zhangguangtun Village, Dulangkou Town, Chiping County, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province. On the afternoon of November 25, 2013, he talked to people about the persecution of Falun Dafa while selling flowers in a market in Dong'e County. He was spotted by an informer, and police from the Dong'e Domestic Security Division arrested him and detained him at the Guguantun Detention Center.
The next day, the police broke into Mr. Xu's home. They took away his personal property and left, leaving the door wide open.
Staff members from the town government went to Mr. Xu's home on April 10, one night before the court hearing. They asked who among his relatives wanted to attend the hearing, and forced them to register.
On April 11, staff members from the Chiping County610 Office and several police officers went to the village where Mr. Xu lives. With the help of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) branch secretary of the village, they broke into Falun Gong practitioner's homes. They attempted to prevent practitioners from attending the court hearing. They even tried to stop practitioners' family members from attending the court hearing.
Before the court hearing, the court told people that they only allowed two immediate family members to attend the hearing. However, at the hearing, they only allowed Xu Gongrui's eldest sister to enter the courtroom. About 20 persons designated by the court were already seated in the courtroom.
CCP agents caused trouble in every possible way. When the lawyers entered the court, they searched the defense lawyer, and threatened and intimidated him. Zhao Yong, director of the Dong'e County National Security office, contacted the Justice Departments in both Shandong and Hebei provinces and withheld the lawyers' documents.
A large group of police officers from the 610 Office and plainclothes police officers from eight counties in Liao City gathered near the courtroom. They tailgated Falun Gong practitioners who attended the court hearing as observers and arrested four practitioners on site. The CCP also arranged several special police officers and anti-riot police officers to “maintain order.”
Parties involved in the persecution: Wu Donghui (乌东辉), head of the Dong'e County Police Department: +86-13906354389 (Cell) Zhao Yong (赵勇), section lead of the Dong'e County Domestic Security Division: +86-13963012117 (Cell), +86-635-3285179 (Home) Zhang (张), presiding judge of the Dong'e County Court: +86-13969509918 (Cell)