(Minghui.org) A Qinglong County resident has been admitted to prison after the local appeals court ruled to uphold the guilty verdict against him without holding a public hearing.

Mr. Zhang Aiwen, 45, was arrested on March 14, 2017, for refusing to renounce Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.

Li Yinqin, head of Qinglong County Domestic Security Office, and Zhang Wentian, chief of Dashiling Township Police Station, ransacked Mr. Zhang's home several times without showing a warrant.

Li Zhanxian of Qinhuangdao City Political and Legal Affairs Committee issued an order saying that Mr. Zhang must be given a heavy sentence.

The Qinglong County Court had initially planned to give Mr. Zhang less than one year in prison, but it revised the sentence to 3 years upon receiving the order.

Judge Li Lili stated in her revised verdict that a total of 26,394 items were found in Mr. Zhang's home that were used as evidence against him.

Mr. Zhang's father protested that police only included 777 items on the list of confiscated items. Judge Li immediately ordered director Cui of the local detention center to take back the original verdict from Mr. Zhang. She then changed the number to 777.

Judge Zhang Shuangjian of Qinhuangdao City Intermediate Court refused to meet with Mr. Zhang's family or lawyer. He ruled on March 16, 2018, to uphold the 3-year prison sentence against Mr. Zhang.

Mr. Zhang's wife was given a copy of the higher court's ruling on April 12. Her husband was transferred to Tangshan Prison on April 17. She was asked to visit the appeals court on April 20. Judge Zhang said he needed her signature to make corrections to her husband's ID, which was written incorrectly on the verdict.

She refused to sign her name, and Judge Zhang called in Judge Li to try to persuade her.

Mr. Zhang's wife asked Judge Li what law her husband broke that landed him in prison. Li did not answer and left without making Mr. Zhang's wife sign the paperwork.

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