Family Harassed at Trial of Falun Gong Practitioner

(Minghui.org) Ms. Cheng Laihua was tried in the Yujiang Court in Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province on August 6, 2014. She was charged with “disturbing the social order” and “sabotaging law enforcement.”

Ms. Cheng defended her innocence and explained that there was nothing illegal about sharing facts about Falun Gong with the public.

Her family members who attended the trial were severely harassed. They were photographed, monitored and followed, despite those actions violating existing Chinese law.

Arrested for Distributing Falun Gong Informational Materials

Ms. Cheng Laihua, in her 50s, is from Yuehu District in Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province. She was arrested by officers from the Zhongtong Police Station in Yujiang County for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong on April 5, 2014. The arrest occurred when she and her younger son were on their way to Chengmao Village in Zhongtong Town to visit their ancestor's graves during the Ching Ming festival.

Huang Zhihua from the Yingtan Domestic Security Division reported her and caused her arrest.

Over 20 special agents, along with over 20 agents from the 610 Office, the State Security Bureau and the Domestic Security Division were deployed on the day of the trial. They conducted physical searches of Ms. Cheng's family and others who came to the trial. They also took their photos.

Special agents took up all the seats in the first row of the courtroom, while other agents sat in the last row. About 10 family members, as well as others who came to witness the trial, sat in the middle. Each of them was monitored and photographed by an agent during the two-hour trial.

Eloquent Defense

Ms. Cheng said during the trial, “Practicing Falun Gong has helped me return to good health. It is not wrong to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the teachings of Falun Gong, and trying to be a good person. It is not wrong to tell people the facts about Falun Gong. What's wrong is the corrupt Chinese Communist regime. History has shown us that righteousness will ultimately prevail over evil. The trial that brings justice will definitely come.”

Ms. Cheng's lawyer continued in her defense, “She did not cause any traffic problem while distributing informational materials about Falun Gong along the roadside. There is no reason to charge her with disturbing social order. The Chinese Constitutions stipulates freedom of belief and no official government document labels Falun Gong as a cult. Distributing informational materials about Falun Gong is legal. The charge of sabotaging law enforcement is preposterous.”

The lawyer repeatedly requested that the court show the so-called “evidence of the crime,” which was the DVD about Falun Gong that Ms. Cheng distributed. The judges would not allow this as evidence in the trial. Therefore, the lawyer requested that they immediately release Ms. Cheng.

The lawyer also shared that Ms. Cheng worked in Shanghai and was a diligent, kind, capable and competent woman.

After the trial, special agents stopped family members and others who came to attend the trial and demanded that they give their names and addresses. When they refused, the authorities dispatched several vehicles and agents to follow them.