(Clearwisdom.net) On July 28, 2010, seven Falun Gong practitioners were illegally sentenced to prison by the Bayuquan District Court of Yingkou City, Liaoning Province. The trial was conducted under the direction of the Bayuquan District 610 Office. The practitioners' families were informed on August 12, two weeks later. The defendants' attorneys and their families didn't receive any notice before the trial.
The practitioners' prison terms are as follows:
Dong Bing, seven years;
Bi Shijun, seven years;
Sun Li, five years;
Shen Guanghai, five years;
Yu Zhihong, three years;
Wang Zhiyuan, one year and six months;
Teng Wenchun, three years with five years of probation (he has now returned home)
On September 23, 2009, officers from the National Security Team of Bayuquan District led by Wang Hongkui arrested seven Falun Gong practitioners at their homes. Officers broke the door locks of the homes of Dong Bing and Yu Zhihong with sharp tools, confiscated many of their personal belongings and then arrested them. Dong Bing's father and younger brother (non-practitioners) were also arrested, but then released one month later. Yang Lijun was among the arrested practitioners, but was later released after being diagnosed with heart disease and high blood pressure. Officials continued to harass Ms. Yang and monitor her home after her release.
On March 23, 2010, Bayuquan Court held the first trial for Dong Bing, Bi Shijun, Sun Li and her husband, Shen Guanghai, Teng Wenchun and spouse, Yu Zhihong, Wang Zhiyuan and his mother. Their families hired four lawyers for their defense. Officials attending the trial included Bayuquan District Court Criminal Chief Judge Wang Yejia, Associate Chief Judge Yin Wencheng, Bayuquan District Procuratorate Cao Ning (a 29 year-old woman), Yang Yan and clerk Xu Jianwei. After presenting their argument, the defendants' lawyers concluded by saying, "Since the prosecutor could not present any evidence to prove that my clients are guilty, they should be released immediately." The family members in attendance also requested their immediate release. However, the court clerk immediately called for the police to remove the family members from the courthouse, and the judge called for a recess.
Just after 9:00 a.m. on June 1, 2010, the Court of Bayuquan District, Yingkou City, Liaoning Province opened the second trial for Dong Bing, Bi Shijun, and seven other practitioners. The defendants' attorneys weren't notified, however, so practitioners had no choice but to defend themselves. When Yu Zhihong stated how she was brutally tortured by police officers, the judge announced another recess.
Afterward, practitioners' family members traveled back and forth between the police station, the Procuratorate, the court, and the National Security Team, requesting the practitioners' release. These agencies directed them back and forth, and finally said that the Bayuquan District 610 Office forbade them to release the practitioners. At the time, the Political Judiciary Committee Secretary and Associate Secretary acted as head of Bayuquan 610 Office, and its members included the director and associate director of the police station, the Procuratorate director, the chief judge of the court, and the associate chief judge of the court.
In the beginning of August 2010, the practitioners' family members again inquired with the Bayuquan 610 Office about the status of their detained loved ones, but officials only told them that they would give a reply soon. However, under the command of the same officials, the Bayuquan Court had already secretly sentenced the seven practitioners to prison on July 28, 2010.
All content published on this website is copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
