(Minghui.org) In a rare turn of events, the public prosecutor in the trial of a Jianshui County resident expressed sympathy for him upon listening to the defense arguments.
Mr. Deng Hui was tried on March 25 for filing a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin and holding the former Chinese dictator responsible for launching the persecution of Falun Gong that resulted in his repeated arrests.
The lawyer emphasized that there has never been any law that criminalizes Falun Gong. He pointed that Jiang is the one that undermined law enforcement and infringed upon practitioners' constitutional right to freedom of belief.
The prosecutor softened her tone, but the lawyer reminded her, “This is not just a matter of showing sympathy, but one of acquittal vs. conviction. My client broke no law and should be released unconditionally.”
“Open” Trial Closed to Public
The supposedly "open" trial of Mr. Deng was closed to the public and the courtroom was filled with government agents.
Mr. Deng was returning from a visit to his hometown when he was captured at the local train station on October 5 of last year. The police searched him and later ransacked his rental place. Prosecutor Zhang Yajiao used the confiscated items, including Falun Gong materials and copies of his lawsuit against Jiang, as evidence against him.
Defense Arguments Changed Prosecutor's Perspective
Mr. Deng testified that there is nothing wrong with his possession of Falun Gong materials and his lawsuit against Jiang. He briefed the court spectators of his suffering for refusing to renounce his faith in Falun Gong.
He was twice given forced labor, for a total of more than five years. When he was not in detention, he struggled to find a decent job, as prospective employers feared possible implication because of his belief. He finally landed a good job in 2008, only to have to quit after his boss was repeatedly pressured by the police to fire him.
Mr. Deng mailed out his criminal complaint against Jiang in June of last year, only to be arrested four months later. His lawyer pointed out that Mr. Deng was exercising his constitutional right to seek justice against Jiang for infringing upon his freedom of belief.
Prosecutor Zhang said, "I now feel very sympathetic towards Mr. Deng."
The lawyer reminded her that this was a serious matter of acquittal vs. conviction, not just an issue of showing sympathy. He urged Judge Zou Wen to release his client unconditionally.
Zou adjourned the hearing without a verdict. Mr. Deng's family and his lawyer vowed to continue their efforts to seek his freedom.
Related Reports:Practitioner Mr. Deng Hui Faces TrialPolice Pressure Company President to Fire Two Practitioners in Yunnan Province
Background
In 1999, Jiang Zemin, as head of the Chinese Communist Party, overrode other Politburo standing committee members and launched the violent suppression of Falun Gong.
The persecution has led to the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners over the past 16 years. More have been tortured for their belief and even killed for their organs. Jiang Zemin is directly responsible for the inception and continuation of the brutal persecution.
Under his personal direction, the Chinese Communist Party established an extralegal security organ, the “610 Office,” on June 10, 1999. The organization overrides police forces and the judicial system in carrying out Jiang's directive regarding Falun Gong: to ruin their reputations, cut off their financial resources, and destroy them physically.
Chinese law allows for citizens to be plaintiffs in criminal cases, and many practitioners are now exercising that right to file criminal complaints against the former dictator.
