(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Jiang Wei, Ms. Yin Xiuzhi, Ms. Liu Guiling and Mr. Zhang Yongkui were sentenced to prison for filing a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese Communist Party leader who initiated the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999.
Ms. Jiang was sentenced to 12 years.
Ms. Yin was sentenced to seven years with a 20,000 yuan fine.
Mr. Zhang was sentenced to three years.
Ms. Liu's sentencing is still unknown.
Hearing Ends Without Verdict
A hearing was held at the Chaoyang Intermediate Court on June 30, 2016, after the practitioners appealed their sentences.
During the hearing, presiding judge Meng Fanshi frequently interrupted the practitioners' testimonies and did not allow any family members to testify.
The defense lawyer argued that no Chinese law criminalizes Falun Gong and that it is his clients' constitutional right to file a criminal complaint against anyone, including government officials who have committed a crime.
He further argued that it was illegal for the police to arrest his clients and ransack their homes without a warrant.
The judge adjourned the hearing without issuing a verdict.
Ms. Yin Force-Fed in Detention
Ms. Yin went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution when she was held for eight months at the detention center. The guards forced-fed her. She was emaciated, easily out of breath, and too weak to walk by herself at the hearing.
Her 83-year-old mother tried to visit her at the detention center before the hearing but was denied by the guards. Police dragged her out of the reception room, causing bruises all over her body.
Hundreds Arrested for Filing Complaints Against Jiang Zemin
More than 300 Falun Gong practitioners in Chaoyang City were arrested in November 2015 for filing criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin. Twenty-nine have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 months to 12 years.
Related reports:Chaoyang, Liaoning Province: 29 Sentenced for Suing Jiang ZeminChaoyang, Liaoning Province: 300+ Arrested, 54 Tried, 14 Awaiting Trial for Suing Jiang Zemin
