(Minghui.org) The Dalian Economic and Technological Development District Court tried Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Jia Xiuchun on April 20, 2018. Ms. Jia was accused of “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard pretext used by the Chinese communist regime to frame and convict practitioners.
Ms. Jia is a translator who works at a foreign company in Dalian City. She and her attorney refuted the prosecutor's allegations. During his closing statement, her attorney emphasized that Ms. Jia was innocent and declared that she should be unconditionally released.
Presiding judge Wang Qiang did not issue a verdict but instead announced that the verdict would be rendered after a collegial panel of judges discussed the case.
Ms. Jia clarified that she started practicing Falun Gong between 2006 and 2007, not in 1998 as the prosecutor claimed.
She said she was just an employee working at a foreign company and did not have the ability to “undermine law enforcement.”
When the prosecutor asserted that Falun Gong books were found at her house, Ms. Jia pointed out that there was no legal basis to use them as criminal evidence. The books were her personal belongings, and possessing them did not violate any criminal law.
Ms. Jia emphasized that the China Administration of Press and Publication repealed its ban on the publication of Falun Gong books in 2011. Therefore the books are legal and cannot be used as evidence of a crime.
The prosecutor attempted to imply guilt by citing her forced labor camp record. Ms. Jia pointed out that, since sending her to forced labor in 2012 was illegal, it could not be held against her.
As the first round of court arguments ended, the defense attorney pointed out, “I want to remind the prosecutor that legal professionals should act based on the law, and must come to a logical conclusion based on the law. The facts are facts. People who have not committed any crimes are innocent.”
In Ms. Jia's concluding statement, she asserted, “I hope everyone here will have an opportunity to read the book, Zhuan Falun. This book teaches people how to be good and to adhere to high moral standards. I hope that all of you can make a correct choice from the perspective of justice and your own conscience.”
