(Minghui.org) In defending his client's right to freedom of belief, a lawyer representing a woman from Wendeng City in Shandong Province, delivered a powerful defense and questioned the legality of the government's persecution of Falun Gong during a trial on September 3, 2014.
The practitioner who was tried, Ms. Li Jianzhen (李建珍), was accused of “Using a cult organization to sabotage law enforcement and disrupt social order,” which is a typical accusation used to charge Falun Gong practitioners.
Ms. Li was illegally arrested on June 12, 2014 for handing out letters explaining the facts about Falun Gong. The letters she prepared and some unused envelopes, as well as Falun Gong related materials taken from her home, were cited as “evidence” by the prosecutor for her “sabotaging law enforcement” and “involvement in a cult organization.”
Defending Ms. Li's innocence, her lawyer questioned the legality of the persecution of Falun Gong which has lasted for 15 years in China.
The lawyer said, “The government has spent a huge amount of resources to suppress a group of citizens who practice Falun Gong. However, no specific law in China has ruled Falun Gong as a cult. In other words, there is no legal basis for the persecution. It's a person's constitutional right to have freedom of belief, including practicing Falun Gong.”
The lawyer demanded Ms. Li be released immediately. “My client is just an ordinary housewife, who wanted to inform the public about the persecution. She is absolutely innocent for doing that,” said the lawyer.
Unable to rebut the lawyer's argument with proper legal justification, the judge and the prosecutor were at a loss for words. Even the court clerk was unable to record the trial minutes.
When the judge asked prosecutor Sun Xiaodong for his opinion on sentencing terms, Sun lowered his head and waved his hands, saying: “I have no opinion.”
The judge adjourned the trial without issuing a verdict. Ms. Li is still detained at Wendeng Detention Center.
Related: Arrest Warrant Issued for Ms. Li Jianzhen in Shandong Province
