(Minghui.org) Despite a strong defense by two attorneys during the trial of three Falun Gong practitioners on April 3, 2014, the Decheng District Court sentenced the three practitioners on July 15.
Ms. Liu Yuxiu, Ms. Xu Shiying, and Ms. Luo Baoqing were illegally sentenced to three years, two and a half years, and one year and two months, respectively.
Ms. Liu has filed an appeal regarding the verdict.
Ms. Liu and Ms. Luo have been detained at the Dezhou Detention Center for over ten months since their arrests in September 2013. Ms. Xu was arrested on the same day, but released to take care of her husband who is recovering from a stroke.
After the sentence was announced, staff from Ms. Xu's neighborhood committee asked her to go to the police station for an inquiry on the afternoon of July 15. The police detained her overnight at the Hubinbeilu Police Station.
Ms. Xu insisted on going back to take care of her husband, despite that her daughter was called back from another city. She told officers Zhang Xilun and Liu Dawei from the Domestic Security Division, “If anything happens to my husband (without my care), I will definitely sue your illegal detention of me.”
The police released her on probation shortly after.
Related: Ms. Liu Yuxiu Unlawfully Detained for Over Six Months Leaving Her Children Without Proper CareMother Detained, Daughter Harassed at School
Parties involved in the persecution of the three practitioners:
Liu Changmin (刘长民), secretary of Political and Legal Affairs Committee
Wang Jiansong (王建松), 610 Office
Yu Songyan (于松岩), head of the Dezhou Police Department
Li Junjie (李俊杰), deputy head (in charge of Domestic Security Division)
Zhou Fangbao (周方宝), chief prosecutor
Li Baojun (李保军), head of the Procuratorate's Investigation and Supervision Division (responsible for issuing arrest warrants for practitioners)
Qu Peihua (曲培华), vice-president of Decheng Court (former head of Dezhou Brainwashing Center)
Duan Huijuan (段慧娟), staff from the Domestic Security Division
