(Minghui.org) The Benxi City Intermediate Court in Liaoning Province ruled on May 7, 2025 to uphold a local woman’s three-year prison sentence for practicing Falun Gong. Ms. Zhao Huijun’s family filed a complaint against the appeals judge in charge of the case.
This is not the first time that Ms. Zhao, 61, has been targeted for practicing Falun Gong, which she took up in 1998 and credits for resolving her uterine fibroids, cholecystitis, and stomach ulcers. She was previously jailed twice, and served a 6-year term between April 13, 2007 and April 12, 2013 and another 3-year term from July 31, 2014 to July 30, 2017.
Ms. Zhao’s latest conviction stemmed from her arrest on April 11, 2024, when she talked to people about Falun Gong on the street. She was sentenced to three years and fined 4,000 yuan by the Xihu District Court on December 10, 2024. Presiding judge Wang Mian didn’t hold a public sentencing hearing as required by law and only gave Ms. Zhao’s non-lawyer family defender Min (alias) a copy of the verdict after he requested one. Min found out about the prison sentence on January 17, 2025.
Min proceeded to file an appeal on January 19, 2025 and learned around March 10 that the case was registered with the Benxi City Intermediate Court.
Min went to the intermediate court on March 21 to submit his application to represent Ms. Zhao in her appeal and his complaint against trial judge Wang. He also requested to meet with the appeals judge Sun Qing, who was assigned to the case. He was told that Sun was not there.
Min returned to the intermediate court on March 31 to submit a request to release Ms. Zhao on bail and to meet with her, while the first request was being considered. He had been denied visits with her since her arrest. That same day judge Sun deposed Ms. Zhao and said the court could appoint a lawyer for her. She agreed because her family couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer for her appeal.
Sun denied Min’s request to see Ms. Zhao, citing a discussion with higher-ups that concluded that he was not eligible to meet with her.
Min went to the intermediate court on April 9 and 15, 2025, but judge Sun again denied his request to meet with Ms. Zhao both times. He returned on April 24 to submit a request for an open hearing in the appeal case. When he returned on April 29 to review the case file, judge Sun said there were only interrogation records and no case file was established yet. He added that Min could review the case file in the initial trial.
Min mailed a request to the intermediate court on May 13, asking for the return of the items confiscated from Ms. Zhao’s home during her arrest and the inclusion in the appeal case evidence which attested to Ms. Zhao’s innocence.
Judge Sun did not respond to Min’s requests or provide any updates of the case status. When Min called the intermediate court on May 21, he was shocked to learn that Sun issued a ruling against Ms. Zhao on May 7.
Min has filed a complaint against judge Sun.
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