(Clearwisdom.net) On November 17, 2003, the Public Security Bureau in Yushu City, Jilin Province arrested at least nine Falun Gong practitioners and took them to a local theater. Then, at 6:00 A.M, the Changchun City Mid-Level People's Court started a "trial" of the practitioners here. They finished the secret trial in just a little over ten minutes. Except for one family member for each of a few of the practitioners, no one was allowed to know about or attend the proceedings. The practitioners were forced to stand facing the wall during the proceedings and not allowed to speak.

The following verdicts were given against the nine practitioners. [Information concerning other practitioners included in this trial is being investigated.]

Mr. Yuan Junfeng from Guangming County: sentenced to15 years

Mr. Yang Daguang: sentenced to 10 years

Mr. Wang Shiqin: sentenced to 8 years

Mr. Cao Zhenguo from Baoshou County: sentenced to 8 years

Mr. Lu Shulin from Qingshan County: sentenced to 6 years

Mr. Hu Xiqin from Heilin County: sentenced to 6 years

Mr. Li Lin: sentenced to 4 years

Mr. Zhao Jisheng: sentenced to 4 years

Mr. Feng Lijun: sentenced to 3 years

Because the last few trials against practitioners took place inside open court rooms, the judges there had to allow practitioners to make statements in their own defense, pointing out the illegal nature of the trials and leading the judges to hastily wrap up the proceedings.

This time, the Changchun City Mid-Level Court called the trial against more than nine practitioners a "public trial," but in fact it was the exact opposite. The public security bureau raised the security level to keep all information about this trial hidden. In fact, they didn't notify any of the practitioners' families until November 16, 2003, the day before the scheduled trial. Some families weren't notified at all. As for families that were informed, only one member from each family was allowed to attend the trial, provided that the person was not a Falun Gong practitioner. That person had to get an official approval from the county government, town government and the local police station, all before the trial.

The judge from Changchun City Mid-Level Court started the trial in the theater at 6:00 A.M. on November 17, 2003, passing judgment one by one, while bailiffs kept the rest of the practitioners facing the wall with their backs to their families. All were forced to accept the judge's sentences without opportunity to present a defense. No one from the public was allowed to know about or attend the trial other than the few family members able to obtain the necessary approvals.

The whole process can hardly qualify as a trial since the only thing that came out of the judge's mouth were the rulings against the practitioners. The whole process took a little more than ten minutes for at least nine people. By 7:00 A.M., the law enforcement officers had already taken the practitioners to Jilin Prison.