(Minghui.org) Four Cangzhou City, Hebei Province residents are facing trial for their faith in Falun Gong, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999. The authorities initially denied their lawyers’ requests to visit them or review their case documents, but later relented, given the lawyers’ persistent efforts to appeal.
Arrests and Indictment
The four practitioners, Ms. Liu Zaiyun, Ms. Su Chunfeng, Mr. Hou Shuyuan, and Ms. Hu Xiumei, were arrested on January 11, 2022, after being followed by the police while out distributing informational materials about Falun Gong.
Ms. Su was released on bail on January 14 due to a health condition, Mr. Hou was taken to the Cangzhou City Detention Center on January 16, and Ms. Liu and Ms. Hu were taken there two days later. Mr. Hou, Ms. Liu, and Ms. Hu have been illegally detained for nearly 15 months at the time of writing.
Gao Fusong, head of the Xinhua District Domestic Security Office who arrested the practitioners, submitted the practitioners’ cases to the Xinhua District Procuratorate in early April, and the cases were transferred to the Yunhe District Procuratorate on May 14.
When one of the defense lawyers called prosecutor Kong Lingxia on June 20 to inquire about the cases, Kong claimed she had returned them to the police for more evidence, but she refused to reveal when she did so. The lawyer later confirmed that the cases were returned on June 14.
In the past two decades, Kong has actively participated in sentencing Falun Gong practitioners, with the longest term being ten years.
To frame Ms. Su, Mr. Hou, Ms. Liu, and Ms. Hu, the police installed surveillance devices on their motorcycles and harassed their family members and co-workers.
The practitioners’ lawyers wrote to various government agencies on July 13 and 14, urging the authorities to release them. They argued that the practitioners’ spiritual belief is protected by the Constitution and that the practitioners didn’t cause harm to anyone or to society by distributing informational materials about Falun Gong.
Prosecutor Kong still indicted the four practitioners on October 26, 2022 after the police submitted their cases again. Judge Fu Rao of the Yunhe District Court was assigned to handle the case.
Harassment of Ms. Su
Ms. Su received a call from a court clerk surnamed Zhu on January 10, 2023 to renew her bail conditions. Zhu also ordered her to find a guarantor, who was to make sure that she didn’t skip bail. Ms. Su refused to comply, believing that she was affirming the persecution if she renewed the bail conditions.
Ms. Su called Wang Yan, another court clerk, on January 12, and said that no law has ever criminalized Falun Gong in China and that she was wronged to be arrested and facing trial for her belief. Wang told her that judge Fu was on sick leave and only she could decide whether the practitioners were guilty or not. Wang also emphasized that the judge still must go through the formality of a court hearing.
Police officer Gao Fusong, court clerks Wang and Zhu, as well as several other officers came to Ms. Su’s shop on January 13 and ordered her to sign several documents. Ms. Su wasn’t allowed to read the documents carefully, but she saw the word “cult” on it. (The Chinese Communist Party has smeared Falun Gong as a cult, despite such a designation lacking any legal basis.)
Ms. Su asked Wang, “Do you have any legal basis [to charge me]?” Wang remained silent.
Ms. Su then asked Gao the same question and he didn’t answer either.
Ms. Su said to them, “This is smearing Falun Gong and it’s also persecution against us. I will not sign.”
An officer ordered Wang to read the content of the document. She didn’t do so, but took a photo of herself holding the document and left with the other officers.
Gao returned the next day to harass Ms. Su. The court also changed Ms. Su’s bail conditions to residential surveillance on January 15.
Lawyers’ Efforts to Seek Justice
Ms. Liu’s lawyer went to the detention center on March 7, 2023 to visit her. The guards asked for a negative COVID PCR result within 48 hours. With the lawyer’s strong protest, the guards agreed for him to do a quick antigen test, before allowing him to visit Ms. Liu.
That same afternoon, another lawyer called the hotlines of the mayor’s office and the Ministry of Public Security about the detention center’s unreasonable demand for the COVID test. In the end, the detention center told the lawyers that they would stop demanding that the lawyers provide negative COVID tests or wear protective suits.
Also on March 7, one lawyer went to the court to review the practitioners’ case documents. The clerk initially didn’t allow him to take pictures of the document, but relented as the lawyer insisted that he had the legal right to do so.
The lawyer noticed in the case document that Kong mentioned sentencing Ms. Liu and Mr. Hou to 3 years each, Ms. Su to 2.5 years and Ms. Hu to 2 years.
Mr. Hou Shuyuan’s Elderly Father Longs for His Son’s Return
Mr. Hou used to suffer severe anxiety and insomnia. He regained his health and quit smoking and drinking after taking up Falun Gong.
For many years before his arrest, Mr. Hou took care of his 86-year-old incapacitated father, who suffered heart and lung failure, as well as epilepsy. With Mr. Hou’s prolonged detention, his wife not only had to work, but also took on the responsibility of caring for her father-in-law, including cleaning him, as well as cooking for him and feeding him.
Missing Mr. Hou so much, the elderly man suffered several health crises. As Mr. Hou also suffered a physical condition himself, his lawyer applied to have him released on bail, but was denied by the police department and prosecutor.
Ms. Liu, Ms. Hu, and Ms. Su Experienced Great Benefits from Practicing Falun Gong
Ms. Liu struggled with severe health problems after giving birth to her children and almost became incapacitated. She recovered after she took up Falun Gong.
Ms. Hu has been divorced for many years and runs a breakfast stand selling fried bread sticks. Known for using the best flour and clean oil, her breakfast stand is very popular and her customers all know that she practices Falun Gong.
Her ex-husband suffered a stroke two years ago and was hospitalized. Upon hearing about it, Ms. Hu took care of him in the hospital and he was very touched by her kindness.
Ms. Su suffered poor health and migraines. Five years after she got married, she was still unable to conceive. She tried various treatments, but to no avail. She became pregnant two months after taking up Falun Gong and gave birth to a darling boy. Her migraines also disappeared several months later.
Perpetrators’ contact information:
Fu Rao (付饶), judge, Yunhe District Court: +86-317-2129709Kong Lingxia (孔令霞), prosecutor, Yunhe District Procuratorate: +86-317-5670655Gao Fusong(高福松), director, Xinhua District Domestic Security Office: +86-16630765851, +86-18833751319
(More perpetrators’ contact information is available in the original Chinese article.)
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