(Minghui.org) A senior engineer at a special equipment inspection facility was arrested in September of last year for his belief in Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline persecuted in China since 1999.
After being illegally detained for five months, Mr. Xie Yiqiang from Yinchuan City was tried in February of this year.
Prior to this arrest, Mr. Xie was incarcerated and tortured in a forced labor camp and a prison for a total of seven years for refusing to give up Falun Gong. He almost died twice and he was fired from his job.
At his recent trial, the charge against him was "using a cult to undermine law enforcement," a generic accusation used by the Chinese communist regime against Falun Gong practitioners. The prosecutor alleged that Mr. Xie was a repeat offender and recommended 4 to 5 years in prison.
Mr. Xie pleaded not guilty. His lawyers argued that no law in China criminalizes Falun Gong, that Mr. Xie should never have been prosecuted in the first place, and that he was merely exercising his constitutional right to freedom of belief.
Invalid Evidence Presented by the Prosecution
Mr. Xie's past incarceration was a result of the Chinese communist regime's violation of his legal rights. Evidence presented in court was Mr. Xie’s legitimate possessions that the police had confiscated when they searched his home illegally.
Unlawful Police Conduct and Court Procedure
The police raided Mr. Xie's home and arrested him without search or arrest warrants, and then tied him up in a chair in the police station for 12 hours.
On the day of the trial, the judge only allowed four of Mr. Xie’s family members to be present in the courtroom, even though the trial had been designated as a public hearing. The prosecution's witnesses did not show up to testify.
The judge did not render a verdict at the conclusion of the trial.
Related reports:Engineer from Ningxia Files Charges Against Former Chinese DictatorMr. Xie Yiqiang Imprisoned for Seven Years, Elderly Mother Denied Right to See Him before She Passed AwayMr. Xie Yiqiang of Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Sentenced to Four Years in Prison
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