(Minghui.org) Four Falun Gong practitioners were tried by Chengjiang County Court in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province on July 29, 2015. They were represented by two defense lawyers.

The defendants were Ms. Liu Yan, Ms. Yuan Yiqun, Ms. Yang Li, and Ms. Yang Huilan. They were charged with “using a cult organization to undermine law enforcement,” a standard charge used by the communist regime to sentence practitioners as part of its suppression campaign.

During the trial, Ms. Liu and Ms. Yuan stated that practicing Falun Gong improved their health and helped them become better people. The defendants and their lawyers argued that it is not illegal to practice Falun Gong.

The four practitioners were on a vacation in Reshuitang, Chengjiang County, Yuxi City on January 8, 2015. When they distributed calendars with information about the persecution of Falun Gong to local residents, they were arrested by Chengjiang County Domestic Security police and detained in the Hongta District Detention Center.

Heavy Security

The trial lasted from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The packed courtroom could hold about 80 people, including the practitioners' families and friends, police officers, and procuratorate and court staff.

Dozens of riot police and Domestic Security officers were stationed outside the courthouse. Some Falun Gong practitioners who were closely following the case were standing outside the court, but were taken inside by police until the end of the court session.

Husband of Decorated Professor Still Imprisoned for His Belief

Ms. Liu Yan started practicing Falun Gong in 1994 and recovered from several illnesses, including Hepatitis B. She is an associate professor at the Business School and College of Arts at Yunnan Normal University, where she was named a “backbone” teacher. She has won three provincial university quality engineering awards.

Ms. Liu's husband is an artist and a painter. In August 2012, he was sentenced to four years in prison for making banners to raise awareness of the persecution of Falun Gong.

Perpetrators' contact information:Yang Aibin (杨爱斌), presiding judge: +86-13988490679Liu Meiju (刘美菊), presiding judge: +86-13577721261Xu Jian (徐坚), Zhao Chan (赵禅), prosecutorsRan Yulong (冉玉龙) from Chengjiang County Domestic SecurityDivision: +86-15087722212Li Weiqing (李伟强) from Chengjiang County Domestic SecurityDivisionChengjiang County Court: +86-877-6685465