(Minghui.org) The Hanjiang Intermediate Court in Xiantao City, Hubei Province held an appeals hearing of two local women’s joint case on March 20, 2024. One of the defense lawyers pointed out that the trial court forged his signature and broke the law.
Ms. Liu Yanqiu and Ms. Yang Dongmei were wrongly convicted by the Xiantao City Court on November 29, 2023 for practicing Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999. Ms. Yang was sentenced to two years and three months and fined 10,000 yuan. Ms. Liu was sentenced to one year and two months and fined 5,000-yuan.
During the appeal hearing, Ms. Liu’s lawyer testified against the Xiantao City Court for not allowing him to see his client’s indictment paper until the trial began on October 19, 2023. By law, lawyers should be given their clients’ indictment in advance so they can prepare their defense statement. In order to cover up its mistake, the Xiantao City Court forged Ms. Liu’s lawyer's signature on the indictment and claimed that he received it and signed the document before the trial.
Ms. Liu testified against the police for raiding her home without any legal basis as no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong.
Appeals judge Ding Yongjun and his assistant judge Yan Peng adjourned the hearing without issuing a verdict. Ms. Liu and Ms. Yang are likely still held at the Xiantao City Detention Center at the time of this report.
A Quick Recap of the Case
The two women’s sentences stemmed from their arrests on May 7, 2023, when they were reported for distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. Ms. Yang was given 15 days of administrative detention before being put in criminal detention. Ms. Liu was released on bail after being detained for ten days, only to be taken back into custody on May 24.
The Xiantao City Procuratorate issued formal arrest warrants against the two women on June 20 and indicted them in late August 2023.
The Xiantao City Court heard the women’s joint case on October 19, 2023 and convicted both of them on November 29. Presiding judge Zhao Yanfen, judges Wang Hao and Chen Wanlan, as well as clerk Li Qingyun signed the verdicts.
Prior to their latest ordeals, Ms. Liu and Ms. Yang were targeted before for practicing Falun Gong. Ms. Yang was arrested on April 13, 2016 and was sentenced to three years with a three-year probation. She was released after spending one year and eight months in custody.
Ms. Liu was arrested on July 19, 2009 and her husband, Mr. Ouyang Zhangguo, was arrested two months later on September 11, 2009. Mr. Ouyang was taken to the Tangxunhu Brainwashing Center in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei. Due to the physical torture and mental distress he was subjected to in detention, his health declined after he was released on October 30, 2009. He was only 38 years old when he passed away in 2012.
Related Reports:
Two Hubei Women Appeal Wrongful Convictions for Practicing Falun Gong
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