(Minghui.org) The Jingjiang Court held a trial against Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhang Wei on June 20, 2013. The trial was a sham, and sadly, is typical of the treatment received by Falun Gong practitioners and their supporters under the current regime. Before the trial, the court attempted to make Mr. Zhang's defense lawyers miss the trial and illegally detained the defense witness. During the trial, the judge openly sided with the prosecutor.
Court Tried to Cause Defense Lawyers to Miss the Trial
The Jingjiang Court tried to cause the defense attorney, Mr. Dong Qianyong, to miss the trial by pressuring the Justice Bureau to prolong Mr. Dong's annual lawyer's certificate review and renewal.
Mr. Zhang was detained at the Jingjiang Detention Center. The detention center's lawyer sign-in book was marked: “Make sure to check Attorney Dong Qianyong's certificate when he comes to meet Mr. Zhang.”
Judge Tao Yunhua told Mr. Dong to bring his certificate with him to the trial when he notified him of the trial date at the beginning of June.
On June 18, a guard elatedly told Mr. Zhang that Attorney Dong's certificate had been confiscated, and that it was a waste of time for him to hire a lawyer since it wouldn't work out.
But Mr. Dong finally got his certification renewed on the afternoon of June 18.
Another defense lawyer, Mr. Li Jingli, went to the detention center at 3:00 p.m. on June 19. The detention center guards called the court and asked for permission before they finally allowed Attorney Li meet with Mr. Zhang an hour later. After the meeting, Attorney Li received a call from his office, saying that they wanted him back to the office on June 20, the day of the trial. But Mr. Li stayed at the trial.
610 Office Detained Defense Witness
The Jingjiang 610 Office first made a threatening call to the defense witness, Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Feng We, on the afternoon of June 19, warning him not to leave home on the following several days. Then to make sure he wouldn't show up at the trial, they simply detained Mr. Feng. As of June 22, Mr. Feng was still in detention.
Supporter Arrested Outside the Court
On the day of the trial, the Jingjiang 610 Office and police officers had 30 to 40 agents and officers posted both inside and outside the courtroom. Three police vans were parked outside with their engines on.
Ms. Xie, a practitioner in her seventies, came to watch the trial and was illegally arrested by the police.
Family Members Monitored
Ms. Wang Yali, Mr. Zhang's wife, carrying their three-month-old child was stopped outside the court. She stood there holding a sign, “Having a belief is innocent. I want my father.” Police officers closely watched her.
All of Mr. Zhang's family members were searched thoroughly before they were allowed inside the courtroom. They were not allowed to carry any cell phone or other belongings, while all of the agents and officers openly carried such items.
Government agents and police officers occupied every seat in the first two rows of the courtroom. Ms. Zhang's mother, sister, and two cousins were told to sit in the last row and were watched by several court marshals.
Court Openly Sided with Prosecutor
Presiding Judge Wang Ping and Judge Tao Yunhua openly sided with the prosecutors.
The prosecutor used only pictures as evidence, but refused to show the content, saying they were “state secrets.”
Attorney Mr. Zhang Weihe repeatedly asked the prosecutor to show the evidence mentioned in the charge statement. But Wang and Tao just ignored him. They did not verify any testimony or evidence from the prosecutors and directly declared them valid.
Wang and Tao frequently interrupted Mr. Zhang's lawyers' defense arguments.
Mr. Zhang Arrested Twice in the Last Two Years
At around 11:00 p.m. on April 10, 2011, a community security guard knocked on Mr. Zhang's door, saying his electric bicycle had been stolen and asked him to open his door. However, Mr. Zhang had heard someone teaching the guard how to say that and was on the alert. He did not open the door.
The next morning, the electricity to his home was turned off. Someone banged on his door and shouted, “We will break the door if you do not open it.” The door was opened by force and a bunch of people stormed in. They did not wear police uniforms, nor show any search warrant or ID. They ransacked the home and took Mr. Zhang and his wife Ms. Wang to the local Chengnan Police Station.
Police officers took Ms. Wang's photo and drew some of her blood. The couple were then taken to the Chengbei Detention Center.
The 610 Office agents and police officers interrogated Mr. Zhang and Ms. Wang and made them do forced labor while they were illegally detained.
Mr. Zhang Youliang, Mr. Zhang's father, rushed to Jingjiang from Tianjing the same day he heard that his son and daughter-in-law were arrested. He worked around the clock for their release. He was exhausted under the tremendous mental pressure and terror. He had a car accident on May 6, 2011 and died the next day.
Ms. Wang was subjected to a year of forced labor on May 9, 2011. Mr. Zhang was released on bail after one month of detention.
On the afternoon of September 11, 2012, Mr. Zhang took his wife to a two-month pregnancy check. Police arrested him in front of the hospital and jailed him at the Chengbei Detention Center. The Procuratorate pressed trumped-up charges against Mr. Zhang on January 6, 2013.
