(Minghui.org) A Beijing resident stood trial in the Pinggu District Court on November 11, 2020 for his faith in Falun Gong. Mr. Wang Zicheng's daughter and lawyer entered a not-guilty plea for him. He also testified in his own defense. The prosecutor suggested a prison sentence of four to six years.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual and meditation discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Mr. Wang, a factory worker, was arrested on June 8, 2020 for distributing Falun Gong materials. The authorities never informed his family of his case status until he was indicted on October 23, 2020.
Mr. Wang’s daughter represented him and defended his innocence in court. She said that no law has ever criminalized Falun Gong in China, and that her father didn’t do anything wrong in upholding his faith.
She also recounted the positive changes her father experienced after taking up Falun Gong, which also brought much happiness to the family. In the past 21 years, her father has been sentenced three times and served a total of 14 years. He was once paralyzed and incapacitated due to being tortured while in custody, which not only left the family in deep distress, but also brought tremendous financial pressure to them. When both of her parents were sentenced for their faith in 2003, she and her brother were left home alone, and struggled to care for themselves.
She said it was wrong for Jiang Zemin, the former head of the Chinese Communist Party, to order the persecution of Falun Gong. She urged all perpetrators to wake up their conscience and stop participating in the persecution.
Mr. Wang said that he had not commit a crime and shouldn’t be tried for his faith.
Related report:
After Serving 14 Years for Practicing Falun Gong, Beijing Man Arrested Again for His Faith
