(Minghui.org) A Meizhou City, Guangdong Province resident was imprisoned on March 2, 2021, for three and a half years for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.
Ms. Li Linglian, in her 60s, was arrested on July 14, 2020, and had been held in the Meijiang District Detention Center.
The Mei County District Court initially scheduled a hearing on October 10, 2020, but later changed it October 29. Despite her family’s protest, Judge Wu Wenlong refused to have her handcuffs and shackles removed during the hearing.
Ms. Li’s lawyer insisted that the judge must remove her handcuffs and shackles to protect his client’s most basic rights. After consulting with the court’s president, the judge finally agreed to unchain Ms. Li.
Ms. Li demanded to have Judge Wu recuse himself from her hearing due to his obvious bias against her. Wu refused to do so and adjourned the hearing.
At Ms. Li’s second hearing on November 4, her lawyer accused the police of deceiving his client into opening her door in order to arrest her. He said the blurry surveillance video they submitted as prosecution evidence couldn’t show what crime Ms. Li allegedly violated.
The lawyer asked the police, “As a lawful citizen of China, doesn’t my client have the right to walk freely on the street?” The police and prosecutor remained silent.
Despite the lack of evidence, the judge sentenced Ms. Li to three and a half years in prison with a 35,000-yuan fine in late December.
Ms. Li appealed to the Meizhou City Intermediate Court, which upheld her original verdict on February 26, 2021. She was taken to the Guangdong Province Women’s Prison on March 2.
Prior to her latest sentencing, Ms. Li was arrested on November 4, 2010, after being reported for talking to people about Falun Gong. The police ransacked her home two days later and confiscated her computer and printer. She was held at the Qinhuang Detention Center for nearly a month before being taken to the Sanshui Brainwashing Center on December 8 for six months.
Ms. Li was arrested again on October 11, 2015, for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong at a community fair. She was held in custody until October 22.
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