(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zhang Guangcai, a dentist from Shahe City in Hebei Province, was arrested on September 20, 2010, by officers from the Shahe Police Department. He was sentenced to 21 months of forced labor in Xingtai Labor Camp, but he didn't receive the legal notification until September 27. His family, together with their lawyer, filed an appeal on Mr. Zhang's behalf, but were denied visitation rights. When they eventually appealed the court's decision, the appeal was not accepted or processed.
Mr. Zhang's wife, Ms Zhang Xingfang, hired attorney Liu Zhengqing from the Fulinguotai Law Firm in Guangdong Province on October 9, 2010. They prepared a lawsuit against Xingtai Labor Camp, and went there to visit Mr Zhang. Ning Hongjun, head of the Administration Division, denied their visitation rights, as Mr. Zhang refused to give up his practice of Falun Gong. Attorney Liu Zhengqing pointed out that the authorities did not represent the law, nor possessed the right to stop Mr. Zhang from signing the legal documents just because he practiced Falun Gong. Camp political instructor Wang and a policeman with the ID no. 1343099, threatened attorney Liu. They said, "Who dares to defend Falun Gong practitioners? You are so naive. Falun Gong is a sensitive issue. The labor camp just carries out the 610 Office orders. Without their approval, there is no way you can see Zhang Guangcai." Attorney Liu replied, "I don't need to ask the 610 Office for permission. They have no say in the legal process." Wang then said that they would report the visitation request to their superiors, and have them make the decision.
Mr. Zhang was eventually allowed to see his family and his attorney a few days later. He signed the appeal documents and asked his family to submit the appeal on his behalf.
Ms. Zhang Xingfang went to the Xingtai Qiaoxi District Court on October 12, 2010 to file the appeal. The head of the Appeal Filing Division told her that the appeal should be filed to, and accepted by, the Executive Court Division. When she went to there, the head of the division, Shi Yuanshun, was shocked when he realized that it was an appeal for a Falun Gong practitioner. Shi Yuanshun reported the case to the court director and the higher court. His superiors then complained to Shi Yuanshun because he had reported this case to them. Shi Yuanshun told Ms. Zhang that the case was of such importance that he couldn't make a decision by himself. Ms. Zhang then went to the court, city government, Procuratorate and the National People's Congress to appeal for her husband. However, each office refused to take any action and just kept referring her to other departments.
