(Minghui.org) A Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, resident, stood trial on December 13, 2024, for her faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since July 1999.
Ms. Zuo Xiuyun was arrested on May 21, 2024, after being spotted dropping a letter thought to contain information about Falun Gong into a mailbox. The arresting officers from the Jin’an District Domestic Security Division in Fuzhou City raided her home and submitted her case to the Minqing County Procuratorate.
During the trial at the Minqing County Court on December 13, 2024, Ms. Zuo’s lawyer pointed out that the arresting officers had no jurisdiction over her case, the reason being that the letter his client mailed out had a recipient’s address in Wuyishan City (also in Fujian Province).
The lawyer added that the police didn’t open the collection box to check if the letter contained Falun Gong information before making the arrest. They also injured Ms. Zuo’s arm during the arrest. While she was only seen mailing out one letter, the police included in the prosecution evidence against her more than 100 other letters (containing Falun Gong information) mailed to Wuyishan, without doing any handwriting identification. While raiding her home, the police did not wear uniforms or show a search warrant. Ms. Zuo was not allowed to review the list of confiscated items or given any document to sign.
The lawyer testified against the presiding judge for violating legal procedures too. Only Ms. Zuo’s brother, Mr. Zuo Fusheng, who is legally blind in both eyes and lives with her, was allowed to attend the hearing. The judge claimed that any other spectator must apply for a pass beforehand, but he didn’t notify the lawyer or Ms. Zuo’s other family members of such a “policy.” By law, no such pass was required for anyone to attend a public hearing.
Ms. Zuo defended her constitutional right to freedom of belief. She said she was repeatedly targeted for practicing Falun Gong over the years. She served four prison sentences during the past two-plus decades, including three years between October 12, 2000 and October 12, 2003, six years between June 3, 2004 and June 3, 2010, three and a half years between December 16, 2011 and June 16, 2015, and five years between December 28, 2015 and December 28, 2020. Her husband divorced her while she was serving her first prison sentence.
Her lawyer also recounted her brother’s suffering. Mr. Zuo, a veteran and also a Falun Gong practitioner, served a forced labor term of one and half years following his arrest in late 1999. His wife was forced to divorce him and given full custody of their daughter. He has not seen his daughter since then. Mr. Zuo was arrested again on November 1, 2002 and given another forced labor term of two years and two months. After yet another arrest on January 19, 2011, he was sentenced to six years in prison. He was savagely beaten and once hung up for six straight hours. He became blind in one eye as a result of the torture. After he was released in January 2017, he gradually went blind in the other eye, too.
The siblings’ mother passed away on April 25, 2015, while both of them were in prison. Ms. Zuo moved in with Mr. Zuo after she completed her fourth prison term in late 2020, so she could take care of him. Only six months later, she was arrested again on June 19, 2021 and detained for an unknown amount of time before her latest arrest on May 21, 2024.
Ms. Zuo’s lawyer emphasized that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong and that his client and her brother should never have had to suffer so much for simply upholding their faith. He demanded her acquittal and also requested she be released immediately so she can care for her brother. By law, the sole caregiver of a family member is allowed to stay on bail while their case is still pending.
Related Reports:
Fujian Man Monitored Around the Clock for His Faith
Having Served Four Prison Terms for a Total of 17.5 Years, Fujian Woman Arrested Again for Her Faith
Practitioner Loses Sight in Left Eye Due to Beatings in Prison
Imprisoned Man On Hunger Strike to Protest Abuse, Life in Danger
Fujian Man Taken Away Prior to Release from Prison—Whereabouts Unknown
Fujian Prison Obstructs Military Veteran from Seeking Pardon, Citing His Practice of Falun Gong
Fujian Province Men’s Prison Again Holding Brainwashing Classes to Persecute Practitioners
Mr. Zuo Fusheng and His Sister, Ms. Zuo Xiuyun, Imprisoned
Mr. Zuo Fusheng Placed on Trial, Fuzhou Court Officials Violate the Law
Kindergarten Teacher Describes Her Ordeals in Fujian Women's Prison
Fujian Public Security Departments Hinder Attorney Trying to Represent Mr. Zuo Fusheng
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