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Law Enforcement Authorities Refuse to Allow Attorney to Review Falun Gong Client's Case Files

March 03, 2017 |   By a Minghui correspondent from Jilin Province, China

(Minghui.org) Mr. Zhang Wenfu, from Changchun City, Jilin Province was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2016 for practicing Falun Gong. Mr. Zhang's attorney has tried repeatedly to review his client's case file, but has been denied every time.

After his sentencing, Mr. Zhang filed an appeal with the Changchun City Intermediate Court and his family submitted his defense statement on February 14, 2017. They too have been given the runaround.

Timeline

Mr. Zhang was arrested on March 9, 2016 and taken to the Changchun City First Detention Center. The Kuancheng District Procuratorate approved his arrest on April 15, 2016. He was charged with “undermining law enforcement,” a standard pretext the judiciary uses against Falun Gong practitioners.

His wife, Ms. Pei Shumei was summoned to the local police station on June 11, 2016 and was interrogated for several hours.

Mr. Zhang's family hired a lawyer, who tried to review the case files on June 28, 2016 at the Kuancheng District Procuratorate, but permission was denied.

When the lawyer and his family members went to the Kuancheng District Police Department to inquire about the case on August 4, 2016, police officer Cui Guonian threatened them and did not let them review the documents.

Mr. Zhang's case was handed over to the Kuancheng District Court on August 31. His defense lawyer went to the court three times, on September 23, October 18 and November 30, to review his files, but permission was denied each time.

The lawyer also filed a complaint with the Changchun City Intermediate Court on November 17 about the unlawful actions, but the situation did not improve.

Mr. Zhang was secretly tried in December 2016 and was sentenced to three years in prison.

He filed an appeal with the Changchun City Intermediate Court. His family members were authorized to represent him and presented his defense statement on February 14. They tried to talk to judge Li Donghe, who is in charge of his appeal, on February 16, but Li gave them the runaround.

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