(Minghui.org) An elderly woman has been unjustly tried and sentenced for upholding her faith. Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Sun Aixia, 78, was tried on November 17, 2016 by the Suzhou City Industrial District Court in Jiangsu Province. The prosecutor was Li Dongshan. Ms. Sun hired an attorney to defend her and pleaded not guilty. Despite a sound defense, Judge Chen Jie sentenced Ms. Sun to ten months in prison and fined her 1,000 yuan.
The trial was scheduled for 10 a.m., and started 42 minutes late. Ms. Sun’s attorney entered a plea of not guilty. He said that the police had broken the law by arresting and charging Ms. Sun, and had fabricated evidence. He argued that the police had misused Section 300 of the criminal code and could not provide evidence that Ms. Sun had violated any law. He requested the judge to release Ms. Sun unconditionally. The attorney also requested the prosecutor to present the evidence to support the accusations against Ms. Sun. The prosecutor could not provide any evidence, nor could he refute the attorney’s assertions.
Ms. Sun also took the stand and defended herself. She testified that she used to have many illnesses, including gastroenteritis and frequent colds, and had complications from a spinal fracture. She was bedridden for ten years and visited many doctors, but nothing helped. Ms. Sun told the court, “I was in extreme pain every day and was also very depressed. I had lost hope. However, since I started practicing Falun Gong, I have followed the principles of being a good person and improved my moral standard. I have truly benefited, both physically and mentally. All my illnesses disappeared and I felt reborn. Such a great practice also benefits society. There is nothing wrong with practicing Falun Gong.”
She then recounted the harassment she experienced at the hands of the police. Under orders from Police officer Feng Zhao, the police and local community officers harassed Ms. Sun five times on May 31, 2016, at her home. Later on, on June 15, Feng and a group of six police officers arrested Ms. Sun. They did not provide a warrant for the arrest, which is required by law.
Ms. Sun was sent to a local detention center. She further testified, “The police grabbed me and stretched out my arms. My arms were bruised for more than two weeks afterwards. They did not notify my family about my arrest. My daughter thought I was missing and did not know I had been illegally arrested until she reported my disappearance to the local police station."
Ms. Sun said that neither the court nor the police notified her about the trial, which is also required by law. She said, “I found out about the trial from my attorney. In addition, the court officials threatened my daughter many times before the trial, in an attempt to force her to monitor me. Judge Chen Jie also tried to deprive me of my legal right to choose an attorney, insisting that I use the one he would appoint.
“The constitution protects Chinese citizens’ freedom of belief. The court and the police could not provide any evidence about which of my actions broke the law and harmed society.”
Ms. Sun argued that since they could not provide evidence of wrongdoing, she should be pronounced not guilty based on Item 53 of the criminal law. She also pointed out that there is no law stipulating that believing in Falun Gong is a crime, and she said that practicing Falun Gong and exposing the persecution of Falun Gong is exercising the rights and freedom bestowed by the Chinese constitution. “If you decide I am guilty, then you are depriving a citizen of her rights and liberty, and you are undermining the constitution,” Ms. Sun told the court.
The trial adjourned around noon. After the trial, the Judge Chen Jie again tried to turn Ms. Sun’s daughter against her. This happened in a separate room in the courthouse.
Ms. Sun Aixia is no stranger to persecution for her faith. She has been arrested seven times prior to this latest arrest, had her home ransacked four times, was detained and forced to attend brainwashing session three times and was illegally sentenced to three years for talking to people about Falun Gong.
Participants in the persecution of Ms. Sun Aixia:Feng Zhao, police officer, Loufeng Police Station in Suzhou City: +86-512-62527008Cheng Jie, judge, Suzhou City Industrial District Court: +86-512-66603100, +86-512-66603511Suzhou City Industrial District Procuratorate: +86-512-66602114Attorney Li, the attorney Judge Chen Jie tried to force on Ms. Sun: +86-134-02680672