(Minghui.org) Less than two weeks after the illegal sentencing of five Qingao practitioners for re-enacting torture methods, two more practitioners charged with the same “crime” were sentenced during another show trial on July 17, 2014.
The Shibei District Court in Qingdao City held a trial against Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Lu Xueqin and Mr. Yuan Shaohua on July 17, 2014. Only one of the three defense lawyers, who was representing Ms. Lu, was informed of the trial, leaving Mr. Yuan without legal representation.
The court had scheduled two trials prior to this one, but canceled both after lawyers Wang Yu and Chen Jian'gang refused to comply with unusual “security searches.” This intimidation tactic was set up by the court officers, even after the Supreme Court ruled that defense lawyers are exempt from such security searches. The court officers also tried to confiscate the two lawyers' laptops, which contained legal documents for the trial.
This time the court decided not to inform Chen and Wang of the court date. Only attorney Li Subin received notification of the court date and was present on July 17th. This left Mr. Yuan without any counsel, and Ms. Lu with only one of her two lawyers.
Ms. Lu's husband called Guo Honghui at Shibei District Court and demanded an explanation. Guo said that the two lawyers had failed to be present in court for previous trials and were deemed “irresponsible.” Guo then hung up the phone. During the trial on the 17th, Judge Tian Huai'an told the families, “Your lawyers are irresponsible and not here in court. You should hire different lawyers, like I told you to do before.” The judge then proceeded with the trial, depriving the defendants of their full legal counsel.
The court only allowed two family members from each defendant to sit in: Ms. Lu's sister and daughter, and Mr. Yuan's wife and daughter-in-law. The court officers put Ms. Lu's family on one side of the court and tried to block their view when Ms. Lu came into the courtroom, apparently not wanting them to see her condition.
The court officers put Ms. Lu on a wood chair at first. She had evidently lost a lot of weight and bore signs of physical abuse. She gasped in pain as she sat down in a wooden chair, and was later roughly shoved in a wheelchair by court officers. She showed signs of being in obvious pain.
Seeing this, Ms. Lu's sister said to the court officers, “Do you not have a heart?” Judge Tian Huai'an then ordered the court officers to remove her from the courtroom.
Liu Xiuzhi, Mr. Yuan's wife, questioned Judge Tian, “Why didn't you inform our lawyers?” Tian did not answer the question, and immediately ordered the court officers to remove her. The officer seized her roughly by the arm and kicked her while removing her.
When Ms. Lu's daughter protested, Tian had her removed, as well. By that point, only one family member was left in the courtroom.
Ms. Lu continued to protest and demand for her lawyer Wang Yu to be present. She also pointed out that she was in a great deal of pain as a result of police brutality.
The judge then declared a recess, and Ms. Lu was carried outside. When she was carried back, she did not make another sound and appeared to be on the verge of unconsciousness.
Background Information
Ms. Lu and Mr. Yuan were arrested along with a dozen other practitioners on May 2, 2013 for re-enacting torture methods used on detained Falun Gong practitioners. They were all charged with “inciting subversion of state power.” Some were later released after being extorted money by police, while others remain in custody after being sentenced or awaiting trial.
Ms. Lu was repeatedly interrogated and tortured in Qingdao Third Detention Center. As of November 13, 2013 she was experiencing numbness, chest pain and had lost feeling on the left side of her body.
On January 30, 2014 she was diagnosed with heart disease, kidney inflammation, intestinal blockage, and thrombosis. For more details on Ms. Lu's previous persecution accounts, please read Detained for Exposing Torture in Forced Labor Camps, Ms. Lu Xueqin Denied Medical Care and Ms. Lu Xueqin's Life in Danger after Nine Months of Detention
The badge numbers of the court officers who beat the family members in the courtroom were 370237, 373527 (the one who beat Liu Xiuzhi, Mr. Yuan's wife), 370235, 370232
Related Article:Qingdao Practitioners Sentenced in 20-Minute Show Trial for Re-enacting Torture Methods
