Elderly Couple Tried for Belief in Falun Gong, Prosecutor Unable to Refute Their Defense

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Wu Ruiting, 75, and his wife Ms. Zhu Ruimin, 74, were tried by the Xishi District Court in Yingkou City at 9:00 a.m. on April 8, 2015. They denied all the charges, pleaded not guilty, and defended their right to practice Falun Gong. The judge ended the trial after an hour without delivering a verdict because the prosecutor was unable to refute the couple’s defense. The decision will be made by a full court.

During the court hearing Mr. Wu told the prosecutor, “The indictment is nothing but fabricated lies which I and my wife did not sign and completely deny.”

In the courtroom Mr. Wu reiterated, “Practicing Falun Gong does not break any law.” The prosecutor had no response. He asked Ms. Zhu, “Do you have something to say?” She replied, “May I say what I prepared?” The judge said, “Yes.”

Ms. Zhu said, “It is legal under Chinese constitutional law for me to practice Falun Gong. I have not broken any laws.” Just as she was about to talk about the persecution of Falun Gong and the benefits she received from practicing, an officer stopped her and told her to sign the trial record.

Mr. Wu said loudly, “I will not sign any document and completely negate this trial.” Ms. Zhu did not sign either. The officers outside the courtroom loudly said that it was time to treat them by coercive measures.

After the trial ended, Mr. Wu and Ms. Zhu were put into two separate cars with three or four officers in each car. On the way to the local Textile Factory Hospital, which is designated to examine practitioners, Ms. Zhu talked about the persecution of Falun Gong to the officers and told them that quitting the CCP would bring them good fortune.

At the hospital the couple were given blood pressure and blood tests, and cardiac examinations. Ms. Zhu was also given a color doppler ultrasound test.

The couple was then taken to the Yingkou City Detention Center where they underwent another physical examination. The doctor said that they could not be accepted because they failed it. None of the officers from the police department or procuratorate wanted to take the couple back and quickly left, so the couple went home.

Mr. Wu and Ms. Zhu had been arrested by officers from the Xishi District Police Department and the Jinniushan Police Station on the afternoon of October 11, 2014, for distributing informational materials about the persecution of Falun Gong. They were released on bail pending trial on October 13, 2014. The case was submitted to the Xishi District Procuratorate on November 21, 2014, and the Procuratorate informed the couple that the case was accepted on November 24, 2014.

Parties involved in the persecution of Mr. Wu and Ms. Zhu:
Jiang Hongying (姜红英), secretary of the Yingkou City Political and Legal Affairs Committee: [phone], _86-417-2601133, [phone]
Han Yutang (韩玉堂), director of the Yingkou City Security Department: [phone], [phone]
Guo Caixue (郭彩学), secretary of the Xishi District Political and Legal Affairs Committee in Yingkou City: [phone], [phone]
Xing Zhiming (邢志明), director of the Xishi District Police Department in Yingkou City: [phone]
Gao Bing (高兵), head of the Xishi District Procuratorate in Yingkou City: [phone]
Jin Rui (金锐), chief justice of the Xishi District Court in Yingkou City: [phone], [phone]