Ms. Lin Shaona was tried and imprisoned without notifying her family. Now that they have located her at Baiyun Women's Prison, they are not allowed to visit her even on the official 'visitors day.'

Ms. Lin Shaona Secretly Sent to Baiyun Women's Prison in Guangzhou City

Ms. Lin Shaona was sentenced during secret proceedings at Rongcheng District Court in Jieyang City, Guangdong, without her family being notified. Ms. Lin repudiated the charges against her, but she was sentenced to a three-year prison term. Even the judges thought that she was innocent. She was recently transferred to the Baiyun Women's Prison in Guangzhou City, again without notifying her family.

Ms. Lin was arrested and taken to a police station on September 2, 2009, when she talked to people about Falun Gong. She was first held in Jieyang City Detention Center. The guards did not allow family visits.

Ms. Lin's family didn't see her until January 5, 2010. They were told that the District Court held secret proceedings and she was sentenced to a three-year prison term. She was able to meet her family for several minutes, which was not enough time for them to understand her situation.

Ms. Lin's son came home from the university and wanted to see his mother. He hurried to the detention center, but was forbidden to see her. He was told that he had to wait until a special visitors' day. He waited anxiously for the January 20 visiting day and went with his father to the detention center. They were told that she had been transferred to another place. The official at the detention center said only that she was sent to Baiyun, Guangzhou City and gave no further information.

No one in the Lin family had seen the verdict until they went to the District Court to ask for Ms. Lin's whereabouts on January 21. The verdict said that Ms. Lin was sentenced to a three-year prison term for the crime of "undermining law enforcement" and that she was held in the Baiyun Women's Prison in Guangzhou City. When asked what section of the law she had violated, the court officer said in a hurried voice, "Don't talk about it now."

When asked why her family was not notified about her whereabouts, the officer in the court claimed that it was by Ms. Lin's request and that she, as an adult, had the right to make such a request.

After five months' of detention, why would Ms. Lin, as a wife and mother, deny her husband and son to know her whereabouts? The law enforcement officers attempted to cover up the fact that the court and the detention center did not follow due process and committed a crime.