(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Wu Shilian, 46, is a resident of Yuexi County, Sichuan Province. In May 2012, she went to Zhaojue County on behalf of her brother, Mr. Wu Shihai, to claim his pension. Afterwards, she was threatened by the Zhaojue County 610 Office and followed.
Ms. Wu was arrested by Banqiao Township Police Station officers on May 22, 2012. She is now in the Yuexi County Detention Center. Her family was not notified of her arrest or detention. Officials at Yuexi County Court held a secret trial and illegally sentenced her to four years of imprisonment. Ms. Wu's family hired a lawyer from Beijing to appeal her case to Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court. However, officials at the court have been making it difficult for him to file her case. The lawyer has filed a complaint against Yuexi County Court for holding a secret trial and sentencing Ms. Wu and Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court for refusing to accept Ms. Wu's appeal.
Before Her Arrest
Ms. Wu used to sell fruit in Yuexi County to earn money to take care of her family. After her arrest, her entire family, including her parents and younger brother, had to rely on her father's meager pension. Ms. Wu also used to suffer from many health problems. After she began practicing Falun Gong, she regained her health and strictly followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Since the persecution of Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999, Ms. Wu has been telling people the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution. As a result, she has been arrested many times by the 610 Office, detained for over eight months, and sentenced twice to forced labor for three-and-a-half years. She was brutally tortured during her detention.
Ms. Wu's brother, Mr. Wu Shihai, is a 43-year-old graduate of Chengdu Institute of Technology. He used to be a teacher at the Ethnic Middle School of Zhaojue County in Liangshan Prefecture. After he started practicing Falun Gong, he became more diligent and honest. Many of his peers and students praised and respected him. Since the persecution of Falun Gong began, he has been arrested several times by the Zhaojue County 610 Office. His employer unlawfully reduced his salary or completely withheld it and monitored all of his activities. He has been detained four times, sentenced to forced labor twice, and sentenced to four years in prison. As a result of torture, Mr. Wu went blind and suffered a mental breakdown. He can no longer take care of himself.
Court Officials Interfere with Ms. Wu's Case
Ms. Wu's family and lawyer submitted the necessary paperwork to appeal her case to Presiding Judge Luo Chuxio of the No. 1 Criminal Court at Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court at noon on January 24, 2013. Luo refused to see them. When the lawyer tried to call Luo, she wouldn't answer her phone. Judge Wang Changqin then told him that Ms. Wu's case had been closed and the verdict had been handed down by the Yuexi County Court. When the lawyer asked when Ms. Wu's files were delivered to the intermediate court, Wang said it was after New Year's Day. The lawyer then asked when the verdict was reached and handed down. Wang refused to answer him.
The lawyer and Ms. Wu's family went to Yuexi County Detention Center to visit her the next day. She told them that she had not received the verdict. The lawyer and her family then went to Yuexi County Court and requested a copy of Ms. Wu's verdict. However, Judge Mao Daqian refused to produce it and claimed that the appeal was still in Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court.
That same day, the lawyer went back to Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court and asked the judge to accept the paperwork for Ms. Wu's appeal. Judge Wang Changqin tried to deceive him by saying the case had been closed and the verdict was on its way to Yuexi County Court located 120 kilometers away. When asked who was the presiding judge of Ms. Wu's case, Wang replied that she was. The lawyer then asked if she had gone to see Ms. Wu during the second trial period. Wang replied she didn't. The lawyer pointed out that, according to the law, the appeal was still in the intermediate court, because the defendant had not received the verdict yet. The lawyer also pointed out that it was illegal for the court to refuse the lawyer's paperwork and request to photocopy Ms. Wu's files. Furthermore, it was illegal for the presiding judge to reach a verdict without interviewing the defendant or holding a public trial.
Her lawyer files a complaint
The lawyer filed a complaint against judge Wang Changqin based on Article 41 of the Constitution on Friday afternoon. At that time, the prefecture Procuratorate had closed for business, so he then used an express courier to deliver the complaint to the Procuratorate. The complaint requested: 1) that an investigation be conducted regarding Judge Wang Changqin's refusal to allow the lawyer to file the required paperwork and to photocopy the defendant's files; 2) that there be an investigation into Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court for not holding a public trial of Ms. Wu Shilian's appeal case; and 3) that judge Wang Changqin be held accountable for violating official government rules and avoiding her administrative responsibility.
The lawyer went to Liangshan Prefecture Procuratorate's Appeals Division on January 28, 2013, to file the complaint. An official, surnamed Gao, from the division accepted the lawyer's paperwork and agreed to relay the case to his superior. Later, Shamamuxia from the Procuratorate called the lawyer and said that, according to their investigation, the intermediate court didn't successfully hand down the verdict because of a power outage. That same day, the lawyer went to Liangshan Prefecture Disciplinary Committee, where an official surnamed Liu talked to him.
Luo Chunxiu, presiding judge of No. 1 Criminal Court, Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court: +86-834-3866515
Wang Changqin, judge of Liangshan Prefecture Intermediate Court: +86-18980285168, +86-18980285158
