(Minghui.org) With the trial of Falun Gong practitioners Yang Meijuan, Jiang Shuhong, Sui Yuhong, Wang Mingliang and Jiang Yongzhan scheduled in Longkou Court of Shandong Province for August 21, four defense attorneys from Beijing arrived in Longkou on August 20. Following the usual legal procedure, the attorneys requested to visit the five practitioners at the detention center and submitted paperwork to the court for their defense during the trial. However, the detention center and the court made it extremely difficult for the attorneys and denied them access to their clients and court procedures.
Attorney's Visit Denied
Attorney Dong Qianyong went to Zhangjiagou Detention Center in Longkou on the morning of August 20. A male officer on duty denied the attorney's visit to practitioner Mr. Wang Mingliang.
Attorney Dong went to the detention center's reception desk after he got permission from the center head. But the male officer still wouldn't allow the visit. Attorney Dong called the Disciplinary Inspection of Yantai City and Longkou City Procuratorate to complain about the detention center's illegal conduct.
Attorney Dong and another attorney went to Zhangjiagou Detention Center again the next day. A male officer on duty (Police ID 045482) yelled out, “Don't come to me any more. I'm not working. Didn't you report on me? Just go somewhere else!” When Attorney Dong asked on what legal basis the visit was denied, the officer replied that the attorney should not have tried to defend a Falun Gong practitioner. Then he forcefully drove the attorneys away. The attorneys approached other officers in the office. One female officer said, “You can go report to wherever you want to.” The male officer on duty refused to return the attorneys' paperwork. Another officer cursed at them loudly and shoved them.
Mr. Wang Guangqi, the defense attorney for practitioner Ms. Jiang Shuhong, had a similar experience the afternoon of the same day. As soon as Mr. Wang handed in the paperwork to visit his client at Yantai Detention Center, he was told the visit was denied. When Mr. Wang asked why, the reply was “There is no reason. Visiting is simply not allowed.”
No One in Longkou Court Dared to Accept the Attorneys' Paperwork
Attorney Lan Zhixiu went to Longkou Court to submit defense paperwork on the afternoon of August 20. Mr. Lan called and tried to talk to the Tribunal head Li Wen. The receptionist said Li was in a meeting and asked him to wait. Mr. Lan waited for close to two hours and still couldn't see Li. He then requested to see the court head. He was told the court head wasn't in. The deputy court head refused to do anything using the excuse that it wasn't his area of responsibility. The office that is supposed to help with this area was empty. A clerk finally took the paperwork, but she looked panicked after another person whispered something to her. She quickly handed the paperwork back to Mr. Lan.
By this time another attorney had arrived, but no one dared to accept the two attorneys' paperwork. The attorneys went to talk to the Appeals Section. A deputy court head named Wang came and told the attorneys, “We can't accept your paperwork. As for any issues, only the related officer can handle it, and I can't. Tomorrow's trial has been rescheduled. Tribunal head Li Wen had acute appendicitis during a meeting. He went to the hospital.”
The four attorneys went to Longkou Court to submit the paperwork again the next morning. The court receptionist contacted a clerk called Liu, who hung up the call before the attorney could finish talking. The attorneys went to the Appeals Section. An employee named Jiang said he would try to help, but after a long time nothing happened. The attorneys went to the case-filing office. A judge took the paperwork and started reading it. After a female officer (Police ID 0311) went over and whispered something to him, his demeanor immediately changed. He told the attorneys that he wasn't in charge of this matter, and that they would have to go to the tribunal.
Nobody dared to accept the paperwork, which was submitted following the legal procedure. Each office shirked their responsibility and passed it back and forth. The attorneys strongly condemned the irresponsible and illegal conduct of Longkou Court. Finally the Appeals Section took their paperwork.
Persecutors Fear Justice
The head of the 610 Office Wang Qi has continued to harass the practitioners' families since August 10. He told Falun Gong practitioner Jiang Yongzhan's son that as soon as his father gave up his belief, he would be released.
Two people who claimed to be from the government tried to persuade practitioner Jiang Shuhong's family to not use the Beijing attorneys and said, “The attorneys from Beijing are swindlers. They are after your money. You should fire them and find a good local attorney.” Tribunal head Li Wen interrogated Jiang Yongzhan and demanded to know, “Who found the attorneys in Beijing for you? Who is supporting you? Where did you get the money to pay them?”
