(Minghui.org) A mother and her two daughters were tried in the Xixia District Court on June 28, 2018, for practicing Falun Gong and spreading information about the persecution by the communist regime.
The prosecutor charged the three Falun Gong practitioners with visiting overseas websites, as well as downloading and printing Falun Gong books and literature. The prosecutor claimed that they “undermined law enforcement,” the standard text used to criminalize Falun Gong practitioners.
All three women plead not guilty.
Ms. Sun Yuanyuan, one of the daughters, pointed out that no Chinese law says that practicing Falun Gong is a crime. She also mentioned the many proclamations issued by the Chinese government before the onset of the persecution. These proclamations said that practicing Falun Gong can bring tremendous benefits to its practitioners, and no evidence of harm was ever found.
Three lawyers appointed by the court also defended the practitioners and argued that they did not harm anyone by possessing Falun Gong materials.
Ms. Long Zhuyun, the mother, appeared to be emaciated and weak. Her family suspects that she was tortured.
The prosecutor suggested that they all be sentenced to two years in prison. The judge adjourned the trial and said the verdict would be announced at a later date.
Ms. Long and Ms. Sun Fangfang were taken to the detention center, while Ms. Sun Yuanyuan returned home on bail after the trial.
Many of Ms. Long's friends who wanted to attend the trial were stopped from entering the courtroom by bailiffs. Only Ms. Long's husband and two of their relatives were allowed in.
Ms. Long, 53, and her two daughters, both in their 30s, were arrested at Yinchuan Train Station on August 13, 2017, on their way to Shanghai. The police ransacked the embroidery store the three of them co-own and their homes, confiscating their Falun Gong books, printers, and other personal items.
The police interrogated them until 4 a.m. Ms. Long and Ms. Sun Fangfang were taken to the Yinchuan Detention Center, while Ms. Sun Yuanyuan was released on bail because she had recently had a baby and needed to go home to take care of the infant.
The Xixia District Procuratorate approved their cases in September 2017, one month after their arrests.
This is the eighth time that Ms. Long has been arrested and persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. Her mother passed away due to the enormous stress of the persecution. During her detention, the police often harassed her husband or ransacked their home.
Ms. Long used to suffer from severe headaches and stomach problems before she practiced Falun Gong. She frequented the hospital and spent thousands of yuan on medical care. She returned to good health soon after she started to practice Falun Gong in 1996.
Ms. Sun Fangfang has also been arrested twice, and the police extorted money from her family.