(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Yu Yingjie and Ms. Wang Yajuan from Changchun City were illegally tried in October 2013. Ms. Yu's trial was held at the Chaoyang District Court, while Ms. Wang's was held at Nongan County Court. The trial judges refused to allow their lawyers to represent them in court.
Ms. Wang, along with Ms. Bai Yun, Ms. Wang Ting, and Ms. Zhu Wei, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to seven years.
Ms. Yu's Sham Trial
Four practitioners from Changchun City, including Ms. Yu, were tried at 6:30 a.m. on October 17, 2013, at the Chaoyang District Court. Neither their lawyers, nor their families, were notified of the trial, which took less than 20 minutes.
During the trial, Ms. Yu requested her lawyer's presence, but was denied by presiding judge Chen Xiaojing. Chen also denied her request to dismiss the trial. When she protested, a man standing by the entrance shouted, “Strangle her if she continues [to protest].”
Prior to the trial, Judge Chen had gone to the Changchun City No. 3 Detention Center to interrogate Ms. Yu. Chen told her to plead guilty and accept the lawyer assigned to her by the court. Ms. Yu responded, “I have already hired a lawyer and don't need one assigned to me.” Chen said, “I wasn't aware that you had hired a lawyer on your own. I have not received the pleadings.”
Actually, Ms. Yu's lawyer had gone to the Chaoyang District Court and tried to submit the necessary documents to Judge Chen and to review her files. However, Chen refused to meet with him. She then lied to him over the phone that she would notify him in time to review Ms. Yu's files and to be able to represent her in court.
Ms. Yu's family will file a complaint against the Chaoyang District Court officials, while her lawyer will appeal her sentencing.
Ms. Wang's Lawyer Barred from Defending Her in Court
Ms. Wang, 51, from Xiaohelong in Nongan County, was arrested on November 3, 2012. She was tried around 1 p.m. on October 11, 2013, at the Nongan County Court. Her lawyer wasn't allowed to meet with her before the trial, and was barred from entering the courtroom that day. None of her family members or the lawyer was notified of the trial. The presiding judge was Guo Qingxi, who is also the vice-president of the Nongan County Criminal Court.
On the day of the trial, the courthouse was cordoned off to prevent the public from entering the building. The director of the Changchun City Police Department personally supervised the cordon: police cars were stationed around the courthouse while six SWAT team members guarded the entrance.
When Ms. Wang's daughter took pictures of the scene with her cellphone, three officers from the Nongan County Police Department forced her into a police car and deleted the pictures.
The trial ended at 3:30 p.m. According to an officer, Ms. Wang was likely to have been sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
Three Practitioners also Sentenced
Ms. Bai Yun, Ms. Wang Ting, and Ms. Zhu Wei were tried on October 24, 2013, at the Chaoyang District Court. Ms. Bai and Ms. Wang have been sentenced to three years and two months in prison, and Ms. Zhu to three years.
Ms. Zhu had hired a local defense lawyer and her husband was notified of the hearing. According to inside sources, Ms. Zhu was sentenced to three years because she didn't have a “prior record.”
Ms. Bai and Ms. Wang had hired lawyers from Beijing who were known for representing practitioners. However, the lawyers weren't allowed to defend them in court, and the practitioners' families weren't notified of the trial.
Ms. Bai's family has filed an appeal through a lawyer.
Individuals involved in the persecution:
Guo Qingxi, vice-president of the Nongan County Criminal Court: +86-431-83209994 (Office), +86-13364484617 (Cell)
He Weimin, president of Chaoyang District Criminal Court: +86-13843021000 (Cell)
Chen Xiaojing, vice-president of Chaoyang District Criminal Court: +86-431-88559278 (Office), +86-13844197778 (Cell)
Li Hongtao, judge of Chaoyang District Criminal Court: +86-431-88559276 (Office)
