Jiangsu Woman Tried for Giving Out a Card That Says “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is Good”

(Minghui.org) A Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province resident stood trial on June 22, 2021 for her faith in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

Arrested and Put Through Brainwashing Session

Ms. Yao Weimin talked to a person at an intersection about the facts of Falun Gong and gave him a card written with “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is Good” on August 20, 2020. While the person appeared to be receptive, he reported Ms. Yao to the police as soon as she left.

When Ms. Yao returned home, the police, mostly in plainclothes, were already there waiting for her. They searched her residence, but didn’t find anything related to Falun Gong. After taking Ms. Yao to the police car, they returned to her home and confiscated her computer.

After being held at the Shishan Police Station for a day, Ms. Yao was released on bail.

In November 2020, Zhang Zhenhua, head of the Wuzhong District 610 Office, an extralegal agency created specifically to persecute Falun Gong, and He Xiaodi, who specializes in forcing practitioners to renounce their faith, held a brainwashing session in an attempt to transform Ms. Yao.

Zhang and He also harassed Ms. Yao’s family. When she tried to explain to them that Falun Gong is being persecuted, they blamed her for having a bad attitude and not listening to the Chinese Communist Party.

Taken Back Into Custody

Zhang instructed the police to submit Ms. Yao’s case to the Wujiang District Procuratorate, who indicted her on December 14, 2020 and moved her case to the Wujiang District Court.

Zhang ordered the police to take Ms. Yao back into custody on January 8, 2021. She protested, saying that her daughter was having surgery in the hospital and she had to take care of her grandson. Police officer Wang Wei called Li Rongshu, the judge of Wujiang District Court for instruction. Li agreed to delay taking Ms. Yao back into custody and allowed her to make arrangements for her family situation.

On February 27, one day before officer Wang was to take Ms. Yao to the local detention center, she went to the police station, with the hope of persuading Wang to stop participating in the persecution.

When she went to the police station, however, she was told that Wang was on vacation. Zhang, the 610 Office head, who happened to see Ms. Yao at the police station, ordered other officers to arrest her. Ms. Yao was first held in quarantine at the Shishan Police Station for a month, before being taken to the Huangdai Detention Center, where she was held in quarantine for another month and then moved to a regular cell.

Her lawyer visited her on May 5, 2021. She told the lawyer that she suffered high blood pressure in the first few days following her arrest. The detention center refused to accept the clothing and daily necessities her family sent her, and only allowed the lawyer to make a cash deposit for her.

Court Hearing

Ms. Yao was tried by the Wujiang District Court through a video conference on June 22, 2021. Her lawyer entered a not guilty plea for her. The judge blocked her family from attending her hearing, citing the pandemic as an excuse.

The prosecutor in charge of her case, Zhang Neng, accused Ms. Yao of giving out cards written with “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance,” the main principles of Falun Gong. He also cited Ms. Yao’s 15-day criminal detention a year ago as an additional crime against her. He recommended a six-month prison term.

After the hearing, judge Li said to Ms. Yao’s daughter, “I wouldn’t care if your mother practiced Falun Gong at home. But since she was reported, I have no choice but to take her case.”

Ms. Yao’s family hasn’t told her 95-year-old father about her arrest, worrying that it might deal a heavy blow to the elderly man.

Perpetrators’ contact information:
Wang Wei (王伟), police officer of Shishan Police Station: [phone]Zhang Neng (张能), prosecutor of Wujiang District Procuratorate: [phone]Chen Xiaojun (陈晓君), judge of Wujiang District Court: [phone], [phone]