(Clearwisdom.net)
In November 2009, Falun Gong practitioners Liu Zhenglin and daughter Liu Limei from Bozhou City, Anhui Province were arrested by National Security Team agents in the Qiaocheng District Police Department. On July 9, 2010, the two were tried in district court. They hired a human rights attorney from Beijing to represent them. The attorney pointed out that by sentencing and persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, the judiciary is undermining the law. He concluded that the persecution of Falun Gong is one of the biggest injustices in human history.
The attorney stated that those who practice Falun Gong enjoy significant health benefits and strive to improve themselves by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They bring no harm to themselves or society. By passing out materials to others to introduce to the greatness of Falun Gong, they break no laws, but instead give others the opportunity to benefit, and thereby do a great service to society.
The attorney also pointed out that when the police tried to acquire confessions from the practitioners, they did not let them sleep for four days. They denied them use of bathroom facilities and provided very little food. These methods are against the law. Thus, the statements they made under such conditions cannot be used against them.
The attorney said in their defense:
"My client Liu Zhenglin is a good citizen who abides by the law and did not do any bad things. he started to practice Falun Gong because of his illness and he obtained a healthy body because of practicing Falun Gong. He constantly tried to improve himself and passed out materials to others so that they could learn the greatness of Falun Gong. His family has been happy and harmonious.
The Judicial department's sentencing and persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners undermines the law. This is not a criminal case at all. It is a complete persecution of belief and a serious human rights violation. It is one of the biggest cases of injustice in human history. The officials in the legal and judicial system including the public prosecutors, judges and attorneys are used by some people as tools to erase dissent instead of presenting the truth.
Using judicial power to persecute good and innocent Falun Gong practitioners also wastes the country's limited judicial resources. These resources should be used to go after those who commit crimes of violence and corruption, to protect the life, freedom and property of China's citizens. They should not be used to persecute good, honest and law-abiding citizens. These practitioners do no harm to society. In fact, they benefit society. Because of these people, our society has more justice and conscience. If our society has more Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and less lying, violence and fighting, it will be more harmonious and stable."
Regarding the materials the practitioners passed out that was being used as "evidence" for the trial, the attorney said, "The content of the materials that the Falun Gong practitioners passed out can be divided into two parts. First part is about cultivation practice and the basic principles of Falun Gong, including discussion of the book Zhuan Falun. The other part, such as Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and so on, express criticism of the current political landscape.
"Speaking about the former, Falun Gong is about cultivation practice and Chinese traditional philosophy such as Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. It teaches cultivation practice and introduces Chinese traditional culture. This certainly does not break any law.
"Speaking of the latter, it reviews China's recent history and criticizes the current ruling party. Its goal is to urge Chinese Communist Party authorities to remember history and learn lessons from it in order to rule the country according to law, use power discretely, and truly benefit the people and the society."
(Editor's notes: In China, citizens have the legal right to criticize any government and political party. They have the right to condemn the Chinese Communist Party. The attorney hopes that the Chinese Communist Party will reconsider their actions and reform. That reflects the attorney's hopes and wishes. However, we believe that the Chinese Communist Party has committed such tremendous crimes that it has guaranteed its own collapse and elimination.)
Article 41 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China states, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China have the right to criticize and make suggestions regarding any state organ or functionary. Citizens have the right to make to relevant state organs complaints or charges against, or exposures of, any state organ or functionary for violation of the law or dereliction of duty, but fabrication or distortion of facts for purposes of libel or false incrimination is prohibited. The state organ concerned must deal with complaints, charges or exposures made by citizens in a responsible manner after ascertaining the facts. No one may suppress such complaints, charges and exposures or retaliate against the citizens making them. Citizens who have suffered losses as a result of infringement of their civic rights by any state organ or functionary have the right to compensation in accordance with the law."' Passing out the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and other materials is an exercise of this right that is stipulated by the constitution. This does not break any laws, administrative rules and regulations."
The attorney then said, "Falun Gong practitioners are a peaceful cultivation group. They do not have any political aspirations. The practitioners only want to be good people following the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance". They are not against the government. They did not break any law. And they did not encroach on other people's life, freedom and property. We can say that they do not do any harm to society. Why does the government want to suppress them? Why do they persecute and sentence good Falun Gong practitioners?"
The attorney then asked the court to consider, "My client Liu Zhenglin's actions brought no harm to society. On the contrary, he obtained a healthy body by practicing Falun Gong and he tried to become a better person. He told others the benefits of Falun Gong in strengthening the body and improving health, and helped people practice Falun Gong. But the judicial department wants to sentence a good law-abiding citizen because he passed out a few fliers. This would result in the husband and wife not being able to live together, and mother and son unable to unite. A happy family will be torn apart. Think of your own family! If your family member was sentenced just because of practicing Qigong and passing out some materials, how would you feel? Haven't you heard the old saying that 'good deeds will be rewarded with good, while evildoings will meet with retribution'? I ask the court to think it over seriously!"
Few in China have the courage to speak up for what is right. Few in China have the courage to speak up for Falun Gong in the face of the brutally repressive Chinese Communist Party. But this attorney had the courage, and his fearlessness in displaying it left all others in the courtroom deep in thought, possibly pondering their own actions and relationship to the CCP and the persecution.
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