Relatives of Illegally Jailed Falun Gong Practitioner in China Vow to Work for Her Release
Despite a strong defense by her two attorneys, the Shijiazhuang City Xinhua District People’s court sentenced Ms. Wang Sanying to four years in prison for her belief in Falun Gong on January 21, 2009.
Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a meditation practice and spiritual discipline that has been banned in China and its followers are severely persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.
On June 3, 2008, Ms. Wang, a Falun Gong practitioner, was told to leave her work by the local police and an officer took her to her house. Upon arrival, the accompanying officer, Zhai Zhongyi, started to search the house. Ms. Wang drove the officer away but he went back with more people from the police station and Public Security Bureau and broke into the house. The police ransacked her house and took her belongings away. Items that they confiscated included Falun Gong books, more than 70, 000 yuan (US$10,234) in cash, two debit cards, a bank book, a computer, a printer and, a cell phone. They also took her to the police station with them.
The police gave false testimonies and evidence and then filed a lawsuit against Ms.Wang. Her family in turn hired two attorneys from Beijing to defend her rights.
On October 31, 2008, Ms. Wang was brought to court for trial. 20 members of Ms. Wang’s family came to the trial. Her attorneys, Li Heping and Sun Hongli, pointed out that, no law in China clearly stipulates that there is any problem with Falun Gong and the Constitution clearly states that Chinese citizens have freedom of belief and speech. Judicial interpretations made by the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procurators are all in violation of the Constitution and the Legislation therefore cannot be used as a legal ground, they argued.
The prosecutor and the judge did not have anything to say in response. However, that did not change the verdict.
Ms. Wang’s husband said, “I know Falun Gong is good. The trial in October made me realize what freedom of belief really is, however, the verdict made me extremely disappointed of China’s legal system, as the court can totally ignore the law and the defense attorney.”
He continued, “We are going to appeal even though our chance of winning is only one percent. We’re determined to fight this case because it represents thousands [of other cases]. Justice is usually in the hands of a small number of people. Now more than forty family members have signed and put down their fingerprints. We are determined to fight the case.”
Ms. Wang’s attorney said, “During the legal process, from investigation and trial to prosecution, you cannot find the 610 organ in any documentation, nor in any diplomatic correspondence. However, while handling Falun Gong cases, the judicial procedure is in fact in the hands of the 610 Office.”
The 610 office is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.
“Speaking from the stand point of the publicity and transparency of judicature, the 610 Office is against the principles of the law,” the attorney said.
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