(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Wang Xinlian and Ms. Du Shuhui of Mian County, Shaanxi Province, were arrested on the night of September 25, 2013, and detained in the Hantai Detention Center. Their families hired an attorney to defend them, but the public security departments in Mian County said that Falun Gong practitioners were not allowed to have defense attorneys.
The attorney went to the Mian County Procuratorate again on March 4, 2014, and learned that the litigation materials had actually been transferred to the court. He then went to the court and asked to review the materials. Presiding judge Li Mingyue claimed that the materials had not been put on record yet and rejected his request.
The attorney said that it was his right to read the materials and announced that he would report them to the Supervision Office. Li Mingyue then admitted that the materials had, in fact, been delivered, but refused to let the attorney read them. The attorney asked them to respect the law, but a vice director said that even though the attorney was right, this situation was special, and that there was nothing they could do.
The attorney then went to the Hantai District Detention Center and asked to meet with his clients on the afternoon of March 4, 2014. Director Wu Hanlin said that he'd been notified by Mian County Court and Hantai District Police Branch that the attorney was required to show five certificates, and that each client had to hire two attorneys before they could meet with their clients.
The attorney reported this unreasonable request to the Hanzhong Political and Legal Affairs Committee, but Ren Yuping, the Chinese Communist Party vice secretary, stated that he had no right to interfere in this case. The attorney asked repeatedly for the identity of the person responsible for this case. Ren replied, “Let me go ask and get back to you after 48 hours.” The next day, Ren Yuping made himself unavailable, so the attorney could not resolve the issue.
Procuratorate and Court Shifted Responsibility
Domestic Security Division officers in the Mian County Police Department ordered a search and arrest on September 25, 2013, for practitioners Zhang Liping and Wang Xinlian. At approximately 10 p.m. the next day, the officers broke into the practitioners' home and arrested Ms. Du Shuming and Ms. Du Shuhui. Ms. Du Shuhui, 64, suffered from epilepsy and was unable to care for herself, but the officers forced her downstairs into their vehicle and took her to Chengdong Police Station anyway. The practitioners were then transferred to the Hantai Detenton Center.
In detention, Ms. Du again suffered from cholecystitis (gall bladder inflammation) and epilepsy and subsequently fell into critical condition. Despite her condition, the 610 Office in Hanzhong and Mian County police department refused to release her.
Their family members visited the police department, Procuratorate, and Mian County Court to request their release. The Procuratorate stated that their cases had been transferred to the court on January 13, 2014. The court stated on February 10 that the cases were not filed because of insufficient evidence and the litigation materials had been returned to the procuratorate. However, the procuratorate stated their cases had not yet been returned as of February 18.
Prior Persecution
Ms. Du Shuhui was a former accountant in the Urban Construction Bureau of Mian County. She'd suffered from serious ailments before her retirement and was reimbursed over 10,000 yuan for medical expenses. All her illnesses disappeared a few months after she started practicing Falun Gong, so she had no further need for medical expenses.
Although she had a good reputation in her department, due to her practice of Falun Gong, she was sentenced by the police department in 2001 to a forced labor camp term. She was deprived of sleep and prevented from using the bathroom in the camp. Ms. Du was detained again in 2006 and suffered a relapse of cholecystitis, and was then taken to a hospital for emergency treatment.
Ms. Wang Xinlian, about 70, had previously been sentenced to three forced labor camp terms. She was tortured severely.
Parties Responsible for Persecuting These Women:
Ren Yuping (任玉平), 610 Office director in Hanzhong: +86-916-2626511, +86-13309161169 (Cell) Yao Jianguo (姚建国), 610 section lead (highly involved in persecuting Falun Gong) Li Mingyue (李明月), presiding judge of the Criminal Court in Mian Court: +86-13186307658 (Cell)
Please refer to the original Chinese text for more names and telephone numbers.
