(Minghui.org) A gravely ill woman was taken from the hospital and driven straight to a local court with her doctor in tow. Midway through her trial, she was given oxygen to stabilize her condition.
Ms. Xu Xiujuan, a resident of Qinhuangdao City, was arrested on June 7, 2017, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, a mind-body practice based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since July 1999.
Ms. Xu's health quickly declined as a result of torture and mistreatment she suffered in detention. She was hospitalized multiple times, and her weight dropped by more than 30 pounds. Her daughter-in-law burst into tears upon seeing her in Haigang Court on September 26, 2018, “She [Ms. Xu] is emaciated beyond recognition!” The young woman was immediately driven out of the courtroom by bailiffs.
Another local resident, Ms. Wang Haiyan, was tried on the same day, though by a different judge in a different courtroom. Ms. Wang is not the only person in her family targeted for their faith in Falun Gong. Both her brother and sister-in-law had been arrested and detained previously for practicing Falun Gong. Her parents were forced to stay away from home.
Pursuit of Health Met with Detention
Ms. Xu used to have poor health and a bad temper. She often fought and never gave in. After she began to practice Falun Gong, she was able to get along well with others. Her arthritis and high blood pressure also disappeared, greatly easing her family's financial burden.
Yang Yong, chief of Beigang Police Station, and about 20 officers went to Ms. Xu's home on June 7, 2017. They handcuffed her and chained her feet before taking her away. They also instructed a moving company to dispatch a big truck, ransacked her home, and confiscated many printing supplies and Falun Gong materials. Her husband and son, neither of whom practice Falun Gong, were also taken away for interrogation. They were not released until 8 p.m. on June 8.
Ms. Xu was later sent to Qinhuangdao First Detention Center, where she was beaten, verbally abused, and forbidden from doing Falun Gong exercises. She soon developed symptoms of high blood pressure and heart disease and was hospitalized at a police hospital for 26 days. She also suffered from dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and nausea.
Ms. Xu's family's request to have her released was turned down. The family was also harassed by officers from both Beigang and Haiyang Police Stations. Shocked by the brutality Ms. Liu had suffered, over 200 villagers signed petitions demanding her release.
Defending Her Constitutional Right in Court
Ms. Xu's trial on September 26 lasted about 30 minutes, as she was too weak to carry on. Her doctor had to give her oxygen halfway through the hearing.
Despite her health condition, Ms. Xu managed to testify in her own defense. She argued that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and that she should never have been arrested for exercising her constitutional right to freedom of belief.
The prosecutor used Falun Gong materials confiscated from her home as evidence against her, citing as legal basis two notices issued by China's Administration of Press and Publications in July 1999 to ban the publication of Falun Gong books. Ms. Xu countered that the Administration lifted the ban in 2011 and that it was fully legal for her to own Falun Gong books.
Her attorney argued that the confiscated Falun Gong materials caused no harm to anyone, much less “sabotaged law enforcement” as alleged by the prosecutor.
Ms. Xu testified against the police, who ransacked her house without her presence. As she returned home with her five-year-old grandson, she was immediately arrested. Officers returned later and arrested her husband and son. The police threatened to arrest her husband if her son refused their demands to frame his mother with falsified evidence.
Another Family Targeted for Their Faith
While details of Ms. Wang's trial remain to be investigated, she and her family have suffered tremendously since the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999.
Her brother was given two years of forced labor in 2000, when her sister-in-law was detained for about three weeks. The couple's son was only one year old at the time. To avoid harassment by police, Ms. Wang's parents were forced to stay away from home.
Ms. Wang was arrested on May 20, 2017, for telling others about Falun Gong. Officers from Duzhuang Police Station ransacked her home on the following day and confiscated her personal possessions. Along with Ms. Xu, she is being held at Qinhuangdao Second Detention Center.
Key Personnel Responsible for this Persecution Case
Yang Yong, Director of Beigang Detention Center Center, +86-335-3661160, +86-3026333-808, +86-18633538111Dang Liyou, Duzhuang Police Station, +86-335-6086110, +86-15232388678Xing Baomin, Haigang Domestic Security Division, +86-335-3651200, +8613133597979Qinhuangdao City Detention Center: +86-335-7827593
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