Authorities Conspire to Keep a Lawyer from Defending Mr. Fei Wenhai

(Minghui.org) The 610 Office of the Chinese communist regime is an extralegal entity that specializes in persecuting Falun Gong, influencing the law enforcement and judicial bureaus, as well as courts, to carry out the persecution.

Since the 610 Office and the courts are fully aware that their actions violate the law, they are threatened by the lawyers who defend Falun Gong practitioners. As a result, they try to keep such lawyers from appearing in court, and even deprive some lawyers of the right to defend their clients. Below is one example.

The Case of Mr. Pei Wenhai

Mr. Pei Wenhai, a Falun Gong practitioner from Fuzuo Village, Suning County, was illegally arrested for speaking to people at Nanda Market about the persecution of Falun Gong on April 18, 2013. Officers from the Suxiang Police Station made the arrest and confiscated over 1,000 yuan in cash that Mr. Pei had on him. The police then turned him over to the Domestic Security Division of the police department.

Mr. Pei is currently held at the Suning County Detention Center, where he has been tortured. His 88-year-old mother has been left at home without anyone to care for her.

On September 24, 2013, Mr. Pei’s lawyer went to submit documents to the Suning Court on behalf of his client. The court staffer in charge of the case, Xu Fufang, and presiding judge Wang Manqing demanded that the lawyer provide a certificate from the police station in his residential area stating that he does not believe in Falun Gong. They also asked for proof that the local lawyers' association and judicial bureau had agreed that he was qualified for this case.

If these documentations could not be submitted before September 30, they said they would cancel his right to defend Mr. Pei.

The lawyer argued that these were unreasonable demands and asked the court to provide the legal grounds for such demands. Xu Fufang said: “This is instruction from above. We just carry out the orders from above.”

The lawyer then went to the detention center to visit Mr. Pei. An agent in his 40s greeted the lawyer, saying that Cangzhou City officials had received instruction that this case should be dealt with specially, and the detention center staff could not let him see his client.

The lawyer asked the man for his name, but he would not give it. The lawyer argued with the force of justice until someone came out from the office and reiterated: "We have no other choice. The person you just talked to is our director. He also feels some regret, but we have to follow our superiors' instructions."

As of October 15, 2013, the court still did not notify Mr. Pei's family about a court date.

Partial list of agencies and individuals involved in the persecution:

Zhao Zongyao, head of the Suning County 610 Office: [phone] (Cell), [phone]
Jin Guohong, team leader of the Suning County Domestic Security Division: [phone] (Cell), [phone] (Home), [phone], [phone] (Cell)
Li Shichang, director of Shisu Village Police Station: [phone] (Cell), [phone]
Pei Guangde, director of the Village Committee: [phone] (Cell)
Court:
Wang Manqing, presiding judge: [phone] (Cell), [phone] (Office)
Xu Fufang: [phone] (Cell)
Yin Jianxing, County Detention Center: [phone], [phone] (Home)

Related article:

Over 600 Citizens in Hebei Province Sign Petition Calling for Mr. Pei Wenhai's Release from Detention