(Minghui.org) Dr. Wu Zhiqi, a doctor from Maoming, Guangdong Province, appealed his three-year-and-three-month prison sentence for his spiritual belief in Falun Gong, given by the Dianbai District Court. Two months later, his lawyer received a phone call from the first instance court, that the higher court had made a decision about his appeal.
The lawyer and Dr. Wu's family were asked to come to the court on the morning of June 29, 2016.
As soon as Dr. Wu's family and his lawyer entered the courtroom in Dianbai Court on June 29, Lin Ming, the judge who sentenced Dr. Wu, approached and told them that his sentence had been upheld. He asked Dr. Wu's wife to sign the verdict, but she refused.
The judge said to them: “Whether you sign it or not, the decision takes effect immediately.”
He left the paper with Dr. Wu's wife and walked out.
Dr. Wu Zhiqi before he was arrested
Dr. Wu at Dianbai No.1 Detention Center in Maoming City on June 30, 2016
Secret Trial
Dr. Wu was arrested on November 19, 2015 and had been detained at the Dianbai No. 1 Detention Center since then.
The Dianbai District Court held the first hearing of Dr. Wu on April 7, 2016. His defense lawyer, Mr. Zhang Zanning, was barred from entering the courtroom, and judge Lin appointed two lawyers for him without his consent. The judge didn't announce a verdict at the end of the hearing.
On April 28, 2016, judge Lin notified Dr. Wu's wife and daughter to come to the court, without telling them why.
While they were talking to the judge, the wife noticed a police car arriving at the court, with Dr. Wu sitting inside. She and her daughter followed as Dr. Wu was led into the court.
They were shocked by what unfolded. Judge Lin conducted a closed trial of Dr. Wu and sentenced him to three years and three months. The entire trial lasted less than 30 minutes.
Judge and Detention Center Attempted to Obstruct Family Visitation
After Dr. Wu's family and his lawyer received the court order of upholding his sentence on June 29, they went to the detention center to meet with him.
The guard who received them said that they had to acquire permission from judge Lin in order to meet with Dr. Wu.
Once they contacted Lin, he demanded that Dr. Wu's family show their residential registration record before they were allowed to visit him.
Dr. Wu's wife had to go back home to get it.
After they returned to the detention center, the guard said that only people listed on the residential registration record were allowed to see him. However, as his children had grown up and moved out, they weren't on the record anymore.
The guard insisted that he was following the rules and that only those on the record, which only contained Dr. Wu's wife, were allowed to see him.
Dr. Wu's lawyer argued with him, saying that he had never heard of such a regulation regarding family visitation.
“That's the rule we have here,” the guard answered.
“Are my client's children not his children just because they aren't on his residential registration record?” the lawyer asked. He called the police department in Beijing and was about to file a complaint against the detention center for unreasonably obstructing his client's family visitation.
With help from the lawyer, the detention center finally allowed Dr. Wu's daughter and sister to meet with him.
According to Dr. Wu's family, he had lost nearly 30 pounds during his detention there. He looked anxious and distressed. His family is really worried about him.
Related reports:Guangdong Doctor Sentenced for Practicing Falun GongSupposedly Public Trial Closed to Defense Lawyer and Supporters of Wrongfully Accused Falun Gong PractitionerMaoming City: Four Falun Gong Practitioners' Homes Raided, Ten Arrested
Perpetrators' contact information:
Huang Fu (黄甫), president of Dianbai Court: +86-668-5516598, +86-668-5116333, +86-13902548033Lin Ming (林明), presiding judge: +86-668-5526017, +86-13592958900Chen Xiaofeng (陈晓峰), prosecutor of Dr. Wu's case at Dianbai Procuratorate: +86-668-5522811Zhu Guanheng (朱冠恒), president of Dianbai Procuratorate: +86-13927559966
