(Minghui.org) Mr. Cao Yuguang and his wife Ms. Li Qin were sentenced to 10 years for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. During their recent appeal hearing, the prosecutors presented more fabricated evidence in an attempt to have the couple's prison sentences upheld.
The new trial was held on May 22 in the Xintai City Court, judge Mo Xingtian presiding. The prosecution alleged that the couple had continued to make Falun Gong informational literature while they were out on bail.
Although they claimed that a total of 12 DVD's were found in the couple's home, they presented four video cassettes--not DVD's--in addition to the eight DVD’s presented during the first trial. Ms. Li said that the couple had never owned a video cassette recorder or a player, so they could not have made them.
According to the prosecution, a total of 244 adhesive fliers were confiscated. However, the total number of adhesive fliers, banners, signs, and all the pages in the small booklets together came to less than 244.
Mr. Cao and Ms. Li said that they had never made the banners nor ever seen them before. When the defense lawyer pointed out the discrepancy, the judge said it was just an error in counting.
The prosecution had presented fabricated evidence during the couple's first trial in December 2015. They showed a video with footage of the couple in their home when it was ransacked. But Ms. Li was out of town at the time, so she could not possibly have been in the video.
A verdict will be announced on June 29.
Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in December
The couple had been harassed at home since the beginning of May of last year, but they stayed resolute and refused to renounce their belief in Falun Gong.
Director Li Tongjun and officer Zhong Chongtao of the Xintai City Domestic Security Office broke into the couple's home on May 10, 2015. They arrested Mr. Cao after beating him and confiscated a new computer the couple had just bought.
Ms. Li was arrested a month later at the Yaoqiang Airport in Jinan City by airport police. She was escorted back to Tai'an and admitted to the city detention center.
The Procuratorate did not issue an arrest warrant due to insufficient evidence, and Ms. Li was released briefly until her case was filed for the second time. She was then taken from her home on December 18, 2015.
The couple was put on trial in the Xintai City Court on December 22, 2015, judges Li Yanxiao, Bai Yanping, and Wang Dunxue presiding, assisted by secretary Ma Zongjuan and prosecutor Wang Hongjin.
The prosecutors presented evidence including the aforementioned video, Falun Gong books, eight DVD's, adhesive fliers with Falun Gong information, and a list of other items found at the couple's home.
Mr. Cao defended his innocence. When he said that he would not renounce his faith in Falun Gong, he was removed from the courtroom.
The couple was each sentenced to 10 years in prison. They appealed the decision and the case was sent back for a new trial.
Arrested in 2014
Ever since the couple started practicing Falun Gong in 2008, the local authorities have targeted them because of their faith.
Mr. Cao was first arrested in April 2004 when officers Li Tongjun and Zhong Chongtao showed up at his workplace in plainclothes and arrested him without showing any identification or warrant. They ransacked his home and confiscated a computer, a printer, and cash.
Mr. Cao was detained for two days and not allowed to sleep. The police showed up at midnight and ordered him to sign paperwork.
Ms. Li was taken from their home on April 9 after returning from a trip. The police promised not to take their case to court if she signed paperwork. One of the officers threatened, “Believe it or not, I can take you to a hospital and have your organs harvested.”
The couple was released on 100,000-yuan bail the next day.
