(Clearwisdom.net) On June 10, 2008 and June 23, 2008, Falun Gong practitioner Wei Danquan was put on trial at Shanhaiguan City Court in Hebei Province. On the first day of the trial, the lawyer who was appointed by the court defended Wei Danquan as though he had committed a crime. Because of this, at the second court session Wei Danquan was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. The court personnel announced that he could file an appeal within ten days. Wei Danquan immediately announced in the courtroom that he wanted to appeal.
The first step in filing an appeal is to hire a lawyer. However, all of the lawyers in the Qinhuangdao Area have already received notice from the Justice Bureau that they are not allowed to defend Falun Gong practitioners in court. All lawyers are registered with the Justice Bureau, which has the power to renew or revoke their license to practice law. In other words, the Justice Bureau can choose to end one's legal career easily. Faced with these threats from the Justice Bureau, few lawyers dare to defy these orders. The CCP court appointed Wei a lawyer who is working on the basis that he is guilty, and he is powerless to hire a lawyer on his own. When Wei's family went to their hometown in Northeastern China to find a lawyer, they were told that the lawyer is unable to submit an innocent plea for him.
Related article: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/7/9/98826.html