(Minghui.org) Four months after their arrest this April, four Falun Gong practitioners in Sanhe, Hebei Province were indicted for telling people about the persecution of Falun Gong.
While preparing their cases against the practitioners, Sanhe authorities harassed one practitioner's mother, tried to force another practitioner to dismiss his defense lawyer, and blocked a third practitioner's defense lawyer from reviewing relevant legal documents and visiting his client.
Mr. Ma Weishan and Mr. Kang Jingtai were released on medical parole to recover from health problems caused by physical abuse in the detention center. They are awaiting trial at home, while Mr. Wang Zhanqing and Ms. Wen Jie remain incarcerated.
Police Harass Practitioners and Family
On July 29, Jia Zhixue, Deputy Captain of Sanhe City Domestic Security Division, summoned Mr. Kang to the police station, purportedly to provide a deposition. Mr. Kang recalled that officers wanted him to agree to certain “confessions” that they prepared in advance, but he refused to cooperate. Jia threatened him and demanded that he dismiss his lawyer.
Two days later, Jia went to Mr. Wang's home and tried to force Wang's mother to reveal phone numbers of practitioners they were targeting.
On August 20, Rui Shuang and Zhao Defeng from the Procuratorate went to Mr. Kang's home to take the “deposition” again. The next day, they went to Mr. Ma's home to do the same.
Lawyers Blocked from Reviewing Documents and Visiting Clients
On August 21, Mr. Wang's attorney, Chen Zhiyong, went to the Sanhe Procuratorate to review relevant legal documents for the case. A staff member told Chen that someone else was reviewing the documents and to return the next week. Judicial officials in China have used this tactic in many Falun Gong cases to delay or even prevent defense lawyers from reviewing their clients' cases.
Chen then went to the Sanhe Detention Center to visit his client. Learning that he represented Mr. Wang, a guard remarked, “Why would a Falun Gong practitioner be allowed a lawyer?” Chen answered, “Even the Gang of Four[1] had lawyers. Why not Falun Gong?” The guard was speechless.
Even though Chen had visited Mr. Wang before, the guard asked to check his identification and various documents, including Mr. Wang's and his mother's identification and household registration. Requiring superfluous paperwork is a another stalling tactic used to obstruct defense lawyers from meeting their clients.
Persecution of Other Practitioners in Yanjiao, Sanhe
In 2006, nine Falun Gong practitioners in Yanjiao Town, Sanhe City were illegally arrested. They were tortured in Sanhe Detention Center and Langfang Brainwashing Center for over a year as authorities tried to force the practitioners to renounce their beliefs. All nine practitioners were later sentenced, with eight of them sent straight to Jidong Prison and one serving probation at home. At the time, Bi Liheng was the prosecutor and and Rui Shuang was his assistant.
The nine practitioners were:Mr. Ma Weishan, 74, sentenced to 3.5 yearsMr. Zhang Deli, 64, from Xinggong Village, sentenced to 3.5 yearsMr. Zhang Liancun, in his 40s, from Zhugedian Village, sentenced to 3 yearsMs. Bai Yanxia, in her 50s, from Xiaohuzhuang, sentenced to 3 yearsMr. Zhou Chuanzhong, 59, from Yanjiao Town, sentenced to 3.5 yearsMr. Du Fucang, from Yanjiao Town, sentenced to 3.5 yearsMr. Zhou Zaitian, 59, from Zhugedian Village, sentenced to 3 yearsMr. Di Wenzhu, in his 40s, from Yanjiao Town, sentenced to 3.5 yearsMr. Liang Baotian, 64, from Gaolou Town, sentenced to 3.5 years with 5 years probation.
[1] The Gang of Four was an elite faction in the Chinese Communist Party who carried out Mao Zedong's policies during the Cultural Revolution and were later imprisoned after Mao's death.
Perpetrators in this case of persecution of Falun Gong practitioners:
Sanhe City Procuratorate:Bi Liheng (毕立恒), chief prosecutor, 86-13603368316 (Cell)Rui Shuang (芮爽), female, in her 30s, main prosecutor of Mr. Wang's case, 86-316- 3153300 (Office)Zhao Defeng (赵德峰), male, in his 30s, is a staff who drives and assists Rui.Guo Lichen (国立臣), director of the 610 Office and deputy secretary of the Police Department CCP Committee, 86-316-3175808 (Office), 86-316-3132359 (Home), 86-13603260114 (Cell), 86-15831606988 (Cell)Shi Liandong (石连东), male, 48 years old, captain of Domestic Security Division, 86-316-3115636 (Home), 86-13832669588 (Cell)Jia Zhixue (贾志学), born on December 2, 1973, deputy captain of Domestic Security Division and is in charge of arresting practitioners, 86-316-3226297, 86-316-3212291 (Home), 86-13931603291 (Cell)Wang Chaohe (王朝河), director of Sanhe City Detention Center, 86-13833616158 (Cell)
